The SC is likely to allow ‘green firecrackers’ in Delhi, giving a boost to Diwali celebrations and relief to the firecracker industry, but environmental concerns remain
This Diwali is likely to be a noisy and dazzling one, as the Supreme Court is likely to clear the use of green firecrackers for five days. The decision will be welcomed by festival enthusiasts and the firecracker industry, which has borne the brunt of the ban in Delhi, one of the country’s largest consumers of fireworks.
But this may not be good news for the Delhi environment, as the Delhi AQI numbers may go sky high with the bursting of firecrackers. Indeed, the environment, once again, takes a back seat. The decision, likely by a bench led by Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, will reverse an earlier ban reaffirmed just months ago by another bench headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka. The court may now permit a limited relaxation — a “trial basis” celebration — with regulated time slots and the use of only NEERI-approved green crackers. In principle, it seems like a balanced compromise between cultural sentiment and environmental necessity. But if one is to go by experience, this might be a nightmare for the Delhiites. Delhi’s experience suggests that the line between regulation and enthusiasm is breached rampantly.
Even during years when firecrackers were banned, Delhi’s night skies crackled defiantly with light and smoke. Enforcement was minimal; penalties, rare. Now, with the ban likely lifted and a legal nod granted, the festival of lights may well turn into a festival of smog.
The promise of “green crackers” offers little assurance. Experts warn that even these supposedly eco-friendlier versions reduce emissions by only about 30 per cent. In a city where air quality already teeters on the brink of “severe” for much of winter, that reduction is hardly meaningful. The momentary joy of bursting crackers will be followed, inevitably, by mornings filled with choking air, teary eyes, and breathless children and elderly citizens.
Though the SC decision may give relief to the firecracker industry workers, many of whom belong to marginalised communities and whose livelihood depends on the trade is welcome, it comes at the cost of the health of millions of people. The long-term solution would be to provide them with an alternative vocation and rehabilitate them. The firecracker industry must also evolve; it must work on less polluting options that would not jeopardise the environment and the health of the people.
The right to livelihood must coexist with the right to clean air — not overpower it. Environmentalists fear that this verdict could set back years of hard-fought progress in public awareness and policy enforcement. Delhi’s air, already burdened by stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollutants, needs relief, not more triggers for deterioration. If “trial basis” celebrations spiral into widespread violations, as experience suggests will the city could be left gasping once again.
