Centre proposes limited sale, bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR with riders

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted a detailed proposal aimed at striking a balance between citizens’ right to celebrate festivals and the need to protect public health and the environment

The Union government on Friday urged the Supreme Court to allow the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), subject to strict conditions and regulatory oversight.

On Diwali and other major festivals, fireworks would be permitted only between 8pm and 10pm. (File photo)

Appearing before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted a detailed proposal aimed at striking a balance between citizens’ right to celebrate festivals and the need to protect public health and the environment. The hearing before the bench is currently underway.

Under the Centre’s suggestion, only green crackers approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) would be manufactured and sold, while traditional “joined” crackers or laris would remain banned. The government proposed that sales be allowed exclusively through licensed traders, and that e-commerce platforms, including Flipkart and Amazon, be barred from processing online orders for firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

The Centre also outlined time restrictions for bursting firecrackers to minimise environmental impact. On Diwali and other major festivals, fireworks would be permitted only between 8pm and 10pm, while on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the window would be from 11:55pm to 12:30am. For Gurpurab, fireworks could be used for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, and green crackers could be used for weddings or other personal occasions.

Beyond these basic safeguards, the Centre proposed a comprehensive monitoring and enforcement framework. Firecracker manufacturers would be required to submit product-specific QR codes to PESO and State Pollution Control Boards, maintain records of production and sales, and regularly test their products to ensure emissions remained within NEERI-approved thresholds. Meanwhile, PESO and state authorities would conduct surprise inspections at manufacturing sites, storage facilities, and retail outlets to ensure compliance. Any manufacturer found violating the rules could face suspension of licences and immediate closure of operations, according to the SG’s note.

The government also emphasised public awareness, calling for campaigns to educate citizens on permissible crackers, health hazards of firecracker emissions, and mechanisms to report violations. Online grievance redressal platforms such as the Sameer App and Green Delhi App were suggested as channels for timely enforcement action.

Additionally, NEERI and PESO would maintain updated lists of approved crackers and manufacturers, while CSIR-NEERI would continue research to develop even lower-emission firecrackers. Authorities would also conduct source apportionment studies to assess the contribution of firecrackers to Delhi’s pollution levels, with the CPCB and local pollution boards monitoring air quality continuously.

The Centre’s submission comes against the backdrop of ongoing litigation by firecracker manufacturers challenging the April 3 Supreme Court order banning the sale, storage, and use of crackers in Delhi-NCR. Petitioners, including the Federation of Fireworks Traders, Association of Fireworks (Haryana), and Indic Collective Trust, argued that the ban was discriminatory and scientifically unfounded, pointing out that factors such as stubble burning and vehicular pollution contribute more significantly to winter smog in Delhi.

Last month, the court allowed manufacturers holding valid NEERI and PESO certifications to resume production of green crackers, but barred their sale within the NCR. It had emphasized that a blanket ban without an enforceable mechanism was not a viable solution and had directed the government to propose a balanced approach. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had subsequently highlighted gaps in enforcement, noting that some manufacturers were selling QR codes to unlicensed producers and that there was no mechanism to monitor whether certified crackers were actually being sold in the market.