As Diwali and a few other festivals are inching closer, several states have started practicing caution on the sale, purchase, and bursting of crackers as it deteriorates the air quality and becomes a cause of concern for citizens across India. Keeping the rise of air pollution owing to the burning of firecrackers in mind and lessening the burden on healthcare facilities, some state governments have completely banned firecrackers, while others have given a window for a few hours to burst only green crackers.

WHAT ARE GREEN CRACKERS?
Green crackers are low-emission fireworks that were permitted by the Supreme Court to be used during festivals, relaxing the ‘complete ban’ on fireworks previously imposed in 2017. Their chemical formulation ensures reduced particle emission into the atmosphere by suppressing the dust produced. While regular crackers emit about 160 decibels of sound, green crackers’ emission rate is limited to 110-125 decibels. Manufacturers need to sign a deal with the CSIR in order to make fireworks using the green cracker formulation. There are three types of green crackers available in India namely the SWAS, STAR, and SAFAL.

Here’s a list of states imposing curbs on the sale, purchase and bursting of crackers:

DELHI
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to accord urgent hearing to a plea against an order banning storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2023. A bench of Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi asked the lawyer, who mentioned the matter seeking urgent hearing, to approach the Delhi High Court.

“Let the high court decide, we will not get into this,” the bench said.

The Delhi High Court had earlier deferred hearing on the plea of green cracker merchants against an order banning the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1. The petitioners contended that the absolute ban by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee is in contravention of the orders of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, which never provided for such a blanket prohibition.