Why green firecrackers for Diwali are still bad news for Delhi

A green firecracker is a chimera; legalising it will compromise the fight against pollution

The Delhi government’s decision to approach the Supreme Court for green firecrackers to be allowed during Diwali spells self-harm for a region that gasps for breath every winter. The apex court confirmed a pervasive, year-round ban in the national capital in April this year. It is this ban that the government wants conditionally lifted for what is essentially a festival of lights. To circumvent the law and the science that firecrackers of all sorts pollute, the government has resurrected the discredited idea of green crackers. This is unacceptable.

There is nothing green or safe about “green” firecrackers. They pollute a little less (30% less particulate matter and fewer heavy metals), but they still pollute. (HT Archive)

First, there is nothing green or safe about “green” firecrackers. They pollute a little less (30% less particulate matter and fewer heavy metals), but they still pollute. Considering the National Capital Region (NCR)’s pollution levels, a green firecracker is hardly a solace. There is enough scientific literature on the impact of pollution on respiratory and general health. The noxious NCR air that often blots out the sky during the day contributes not only to a higher prevalence of reduced lung capacity among residents compared to those living in cleaner areas, it also shortens life expectancy by 8.2 years compared to pollution standards set by the WHO, and by 4.74 years even when India’s less stringent pollution limits are considered. It causes particular suffering to the very young, the old, those with pre-existing morbidities, and even pets and strays, which face the double whammy of polluted air and extreme noise pollution. Second, the Supreme Court had provided for the use of “green” crackers in 2018, only for the Delhi government to impose a total ban two years later. The reason was that it was impossible to distinguish the “green” from the banned ones as fakes flooded the market, compromising enforcement. The premise that drove the government decision was that public sentiment based on claims of tradition and convention cannot be allowed to trump public health concerns. It is not clear how an order on “green” crackers will now be enforced — and monitored.

The government should rethink its “green firecracker” plan. It must also educate the public about the pollution and harm arising from the use of firecrackers, undertake public campaigns to make it a part of common sense, and focus on better enforcement of the summary ban on firecrackers in the national capital. It must show the political will to resist demands based on faith or commercial interests and ensure that the gains made in the last few years against pollution through civil society activism and legal backing are not reversed.