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.
Notably, green crackers too use polluting chemicals like aluminum, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon, but the quantity is reduced which in turn lowers the emission by about 30 per cent.
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.
The apex court on Monday had refused to stay the Delhi government’s order banning the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1 to check pollution levels in the national capital, saying it did not want to add to the air pollution. “You’re a permanent resident of NCR, right? Have you seen the pollution? We do not want to add to the pollution. We are not dismissing your plea, we will consider it,” the bench told advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, appearing for BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. The lawyer insisted in the court that the air pollution was due to stubble burning.
The top court had last year clarified there is no blanket ban on the use of firecrackers and only those fireworks which contain barium salts are prohibited.
Punjab
The Punjab government said a window of two hours will be given for bursting firecrackers on Diwali on October 24. Environment, Science, and Technology Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said in light of the directions of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a detailed instructions were issued to district administrations regarding the time limit for bursting firecrackers for strict implementation.
On Diwali, firecrackers will be allowed to burst in the state for two hours from 8 pm to 10 pm, he said in a statement, adding that the manufacture, stock, distribution, sale, and use of joined firecrackers is hereby banned in the state and only the green crackers (those crackers that do not use barium salts or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury arsenic, strontium, or chromate) would be allowed for sale.
The sale shall only be through licensed traders and it shall be ensured that the licensed traders are selling the permitted firecrackers, the statement said, adding that apart from Diwali, crackers bursting will be permitted for one hour from 4 am to 5 am and one hour from 9 to 10 pm on November 8, the ‘Prakash Purab’ of Guru Nanak Dev.
Besides, they will also be allowed for 35 minutes each on Christmas and New Year’s eve from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am, he said.
Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has announced that people are allowed to burst firecrackers for one hour twice in a day. As per the orders, people are permitted to burn crackers between 6 am and 7 am and between 7 pm and 8 pm.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged his Delhi counterpart to permit sale of firecrackers falling within permissible norms. In a letter addressed to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Stalin reiterated his earlier request against a blanket ban on firecrackers sale and pointed out that the apex court has allowed bursting of firecrackers for two hours on festive occasions.
“You would appreciate that there are several contributing factors for air pollution in Indian cities which include vehicular and industrial emissions,” Stalin argued.
Hence, this called for a balanced view, taking into consideration the negligible incremental pollution potential of crackers used for a few days and the livelihoods involved, he said. Further, green crackers have been scientifically developed and the Supreme Court has permitted the sale of green crackers through licenced traders.
“I sincerely urge you to permit the sale of fire-crackers that fall within the permissible norms. When no other state has imposed a total ban on firecrackers, your kind act will light up the lives of lakhs of people around Sivakasi, especially rural women who depend on this industry for livelihood as Diwali accounts for 70 per cent of their annual business,” he said.
West Bengal
On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court directed that no fireworks other than green crackers bearing QR codes would be imported and sold in West Bengal. It also said that only green crackers bearing QR codes would be sold at a ‘bazi bazar’ (firecracker market) which is proposed to be held in Kolkata from October 18.
The court directed that representatives of the state pollution control board (PCB) and police personnel will inspect firecrackers which would be sold at the market and the police will seize banned firecrackers which are offered for sale there.
The bench also said that all necessary steps be taken by the police authorities and PCB officials to ensure only green crackers are burst during the ensuing festive season in compliance with the directions of the board. “We hope and trust that the festival of lights does not become a cause for concern where the demon of pollution poisons our air and leads to irreparable damage to the health of the population at large,” the bench said.
Notably, other states are yet to issue guidelines pertaining to sale, purchase and timings of bursting firecrackers.
(with inputs from PTI)
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