Delhi may soon see Diwali celebrations with firecrackers, as the Supreme Court has indicated a potential relaxation of the ban. A bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran is considering allowing the use and sale of firecrackers for five days during the Diwali period. This comes as the region grapples with air quality concerns, often exacerbated by stubble burning in neighboring states during this time of year.
The court remarked, “For the time being, we will permit the ban lifting during Diwali.” This statement followed a hearing where Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Center, urged the court to allow children to celebrate Diwali with more fervor, requesting a relaxation of the usual time restrictions for firecracker use.
What the Supreme Court Said
The Supreme Court noted that any potential relaxation would be on a trial basis and strictly confined to specific time limits. The government has proposed detailed timings: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali and other major festivals, a short window from 11:55 PM to 12:30 AM on New Year’s Eve, and one-hour slots in the morning and evening for Gurpurab. The government also suggested allowing firecrackers for weddings and personal occasions.
However, concerns have been raised by legal experts and environmentalists. Amicus Curiae senior advocate Aparajita Singh highlighted the issue of “fake green crackers” being sold with misleading labels, which still contain polluting chemicals. Experts pointed out that previous attempts to regulate firecrackers, even those labeled ‘green,’ have shown little to no reduction in air pollution levels.
Environmentalists Express Concern
Environmentalists are worried about the potential impact of lifting the ban, even partially. They cite data from 2018-2020, when a similar green cracker policy failed to improve air quality, and note the difficulty in distinguishing between genuine green crackers and conventional ones on the ground. While weather conditions and stubble burning are major contributors to Delhi’s air pollution, fireworks, even if less polluting, do cause a temporary spike.
Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at the think-tank Envirocatalysts, warned that allowing even green crackers could set back the fight against air pollution in Delhi by a decade. He emphasized the need to control all pollution sources, including temporary events like firecracker bursting, especially when meteorological conditions are unfavorable, prolonging the impact. Dahiya also stressed the long-term importance of controlling stubble burning and other perennial pollution sources like vehicular emissions, industrial activities, and construction.