New Delhi, 02 November (H.S.): The Supreme Court has granted conditional permission for the bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR for two days during the Diwali celebrations, temporarily relaxing the existing restrictions. Under the order, green crackers may be burst on November 7 and 8, between 6 am and 7 am and again from 8 pm to 10 pm. Diwali will be celebrated on November 8 this year.

A Bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale directed that no firecrackers shall be burst within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and any officially notified silence zones.

The court further clarified that the complete ban on firecrackers would be reinstated across Delhi-NCR from November 9.

The Bench also directed the concerned authorities to obtain financial security deposits from all firecracker manufacturers and traders operating in Delhi-NCR. The deposits will be forfeited if any violation of the court's directions is detected.

The relaxation applies exclusively to certified green firecrackers, which are designed to reduce emissions compared with conventional fireworks. The court has made it clear that the permission does not extend to other categories of firecrackers.

Earlier, during the hearing on October 29, the Supreme Court had declined to impose an outright ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR and reserved its order. The court had observed that it did not wish to disregard people's religious sentiments during festivals and intended to adopt a balanced approach by regulating the categories of firecrackers permitted and specifying the hours during which they could be used.

The Bench had also strongly criticised the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) over the inadequate implementation of existing regulations. It observed that issuing directions year after year without ensuring their effective enforcement on the ground would reduce the exercise to little more than a formality or an academic exercise.

The court had emphasised that officials needed to adopt a higher-level and more innovative approach to tackling the serious problem of air pollution. It also noted that restrictions on the sale of firecrackers alone would not be sufficient, as traders could continue to sell illegal products in response to market demand and supply.

The latest order seeks to balance the public's desire to celebrate Diwali with the need to regulate firecracker use and address the region's persistent air pollution concerns.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar