Green Crackers Delhi-NCR: Supreme Court Allows Bursting on 7-8 November

The Supreme Court on Monday, 2 November, allowed the sale and bursting of CSIR-NEERI-approved green crackers in Delhi-NCR for a short window around Diwali. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale permitted bursting only on 7 and 8 November, in two slots each day, and restored the complete firecracker ban from 9 November, according to reports by IANS, National Herald and LawChakra on the order.

Two Days, Two Slots, No Ladis

Approved green crackers can be sold from 2 to 6 November, and licences cancelled earlier are restored for 4 to 6 November so that traders can sell certified stock. The Court said bursting is allowed on 7 and 8 November, from 6 am to 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm, as reported by IANS and National Herald; one report gives longer hours, so residents should check the order text.

Barium-based crackers, products without CSIR-NEERI approval, and joined series such as ladis and garlands remain banned. Each box must carry a product- and batch-specific QR code. Sale is limited to locations designated by district collectors and police, and online sale is prohibited.

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300 Metres Around Hospitals and Schools

No crackers can be burst within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones. These areas are to be marked as No-Cracker Zones. Manufacturers and traders must furnish a monetary security that can be forfeited if they break the rules, and police are to patrol sale points and check vehicles entering Delhi-NCR.

The Central Pollution Control Board has been asked to prepare daily air quality reports for the pre-Diwali, Diwali and post-Diwali periods. The order also directs post-festival clean-up, including waste disposal and sprinkling of water in highly polluted areas, and awareness messages in schools and on the Delhi Metro.

Delhi’s Air Is Already Very Poor

The order comes while Delhi’s air is already in the “very poor” band. IPB News reported earlier on Monday that the city’s AQI stood at 307, with Jahangirpuri recording 417; the full report is here. The Supreme Court has handled the cracker question for years in the pollution case it has been monitoring in Delhi-NCR, and it has repeatedly allowed only green crackers.

Affidavits Due 14 December

Compliance reports and affidavits are due by 14 December, and the Court has warned of contempt action over violations, according to IANS. The matter is listed for further compliance on 16 December. More daily updates are in the Daily Updates section.

Source: Based on reporting by Telangana Today (IANS), National Herald and LawChakra.

Image: Supreme Court of India building / Wikimedia Commons.