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6h ago

Supreme Court Signals Trial Nod for Green Crackers in Delhi-NCR as It Reserves Order

The bench deemed a blanket prohibition impractical, signaling a move toward tightly regulated use.

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Firecrackers and fireworks release pollutants like fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides | ANI File
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Overview

  • Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the Centre and NCR states, proposed allowing NEERI- and PESO-approved green firecrackers within fixed windows, including 8–10 pm on Diwali.
  • The proposal bars joined ‘laris’, restricts sales to licensed traders, and prohibits any online sales through e-commerce platforms.
  • Compliance measures outlined include QR codes for traceability, random inspections and testing to exclude banned chemicals, and penalties such as license suspension and unit closures for violations.
  • Chief Justice B. R. Gavai questioned the efficacy of past bans, with the government citing CAQM data that air quality has been largely unchanged since 2018 except during the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • The amicus cautioned about counterfeit ‘green’ products and limited testing capacity in NCR, with the Court discussing immediate random sampling as it reserved its decision ahead of Diwali.