New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday permitted the use of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, allowing people to burst them between 6 am and 7 am and from 8 pm to 10 pm on both days.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale said firecrackers must not be burst within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes and notified silence zones. These areas, along with educational institutions, will be designated as “No-Cracker Zones”, with signboards and public announcements to inform residents.
The court declined to impose a complete ban but stressed that its directions would be meaningless without strict enforcement. It said authorities must ensure compliance on the ground and called for cooperation from the public and all stakeholders.
“There is no point in passing orders and directions unless you give effect to them on the ground, otherwise, it becomes a mockery,” the bench had observed during an earlier hearing.
The court also suggested involving prominent personalities, including sportspersons, in awareness campaigns on the environmental and health consequences of bursting firecrackers.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the bench that the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had prepared measures to tackle winter pollution. These include restrictions on older vehicles, curbs on construction and demolition activities, and staggered office timings.
The Centre also said consultations were underway on the use of barium in firecrackers and sought three weeks to complete the exercise.
The bench was apprised of concerns that conventional crackers were being sold as green firecrackers, with no effective mechanism to verify manufacturers' claims. The amicus curiae also flagged the health risks from particulate matter released by fireworks and a rise in Delhi-NCR's AQI during Dussehra.
The court was hearing a suo motu case on Delhi-NCR air pollution and a separate petition seeking a ban on the manufacture of firecrackers.