New Delhi : The Supreme Court has allowed the bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR on the occasion of Diwali but within a restricted time limit. Firecrackers will be allowed only between 6 am and 8 am, and then from 8 pm to 10 pm. A Supreme Court bench said the sale and bursting of the green crackers will only be permitted in designated locations, adding that those found violationg the order will be issued a notice.
The court has also directed the police to set up patrol teams to conduct regular checks on firecracker manufacturers and sellers. No crackers from outside Delhi-NCR can be sold within the region and if found, the licences of sellers will be suspended. In July this year, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) announced a year-round ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and bursting of all types of firecrackers within the National Capital Territory aimed at tackling the city’s persistent air pollution problem, especially after Diwali.
Just four months before the DPCC’s announcement, the Supreme Court had imposed a year-long blanket ban on firecrackers, including green crackers, in Delhi-NCR. Rajeev Kumar Jain, a member of the Delhi Fireworks Traders Association, said the move could curb black marketing and encourage safer options. There’s a reason the Chief Justice said that if they don’t permit crackers, a mafia will be created. Those engaged in illegal work must face the law, but allowing green crackers gives people cleaner and safer choices, he said.
Jain added that innovations have improved the new range of green crackers, offering 80–90% of traditional effects—sky shots, chakris, and showers—but with modified compositions that convert emissions into water vapour. There’s huge demand across India, not just during Diwali. From January to December, there are at least 20 festivals where fireworks are used. But only Diwali faces such scrutiny, which feels unfair, he said.
Green firecrackers are designed to emit 20–30% less particulate matter than conventional ones. But experts caution that they still release harmful pollutants and are difficult to regulate effectively. Enforcing such selective permissions could prove challenging, given Delhi’s already strained pollution control mechanisms. Last week, the Supreme Court reserved its order on the sale of green crackers after having allowed certified manufacturers to produce them in Delhi-NCR in September.
Manufacturers welcomed the development, citing widespread use of conventional fireworks last Diwali despite the ban. They argue that allowing green crackers could formalise the trade and reduce illegal manufacturing. However, environmentalists and health experts remain sceptical. Activist Bhavreen Kandhari argued that even green crackers are far from safe. “CSIR-NEERI data shows only about a 30% drop in emissions under lab conditions.
In Delhi’s winter, when pollution gets trapped under cold air, that reduction becomes meaningless. A single night of fireworks can poison the air for days. Allowing crackers, green or otherwise, means asking the youngest and oldest among us to pay the price,” she said. Parents also voiced concerns. Neha G Jain, mother of two young children, urged the court to prioritise public health.
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