The Supreme Court has allowed the bursting of approved green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, ahead of Diwali 2026, but has imposed strict conditions on manufacturers, sellers and consumers, according to PTI.
The court directed authorities to ensure that only certified green crackers are manufactured and sold.
Diwaliwill be celebrated on November 8 this year. The temporary relaxation comes after the court expressed concern over the implementation of its earlier directions and measures taken by authorities to control firecracker-related pollution in the national capital region.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale passed the directions in an order dated October 29, which was made available on Monday. It clarified that the complete ban on firecrackers would return from November 9.
The has specified that manufacturers must hold valid certifications from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
Only manufacturers possessing valid certification from both bodies are permitted to produce approved green firecrackers. The manufacturing window has been restricted to November 2-6, 2026, and manufacturers can produce only those green crackers listed on the CSIR-NEERI website.
The court has also directed that boxes containing green crackers must remain completely sealed to prevent conventional or unauthorised fireworks from being mixed with certified products.
Firecrackers containing Barium, as well as products that have not been approved by CSIR-NEERI as green crackers, cannot be manufactured or used under the court’s directions. The manufacture and sale of firecrackers joined in series, commonly known as ‘ladis’ or garlands, have also been prohibited.
The court has permitted the sale of only approved green firecrackers carrying product-specific QR codes. Scanning these codes must display details including the manufacturer’s identity, NEERI registration, PESO and district magistrate licence, formulation and test certificate.
Traders whose licences were cancelled will receive temporary restoration from November 4 to November 6, to enable them to sell approved green crackers purchased from CSIR-NEERI-certified manufacturers.
The bench has also directed authorities to require manufacturers and traders to furnish monetary security deposits. These deposits will be forfeited immediately if they violate the court’s directions or applicable regulations.
District collectors and commissioners, in consultation with the police, will identify designated locations for the sale of green crackers across the NCR. The sale of fireworks at any other location, including through online platforms, will remain prohibited.
Authorities have also been directed to prevent the movement of illegal and conventional firecrackers into Delhi-NCR by checking vehicles entering the region.
The Supreme Court has allowed the bursting of green firecrackers only during two specified windows on November 7 and 8:
Morning: 6 am to 7 am
Evening: 8 pm to 10 pm
The permission is subject to restrictions on the location of fireworks. No crackers can be burst within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones. Authorities must declare these areas no-cracker zones, mark them on the ground and publicise their locations.
The court said, “Though imposition of a blanket ban seems to be the ideal solution, we are of the opinion that this court, at this point in time, is short of adequate data to decide whether or not a complete ban would be the best solution to solve the problem of environmental pollution, caused by bursting firecrackers.”
It also observed that the right to follow an individual practice, even if it has a religious association, is subject to constitutional restrictions.
The Central Pollution Control Board (), in consultation with state pollution control boards and their regional offices, has been directed to monitor AQI levels across their respective NCR jurisdictions.
Authorities must prepare daily air-quality reports covering November 2-8 and a further set of reports for November 9-30. They will also collect sand and water samples during the period for comparative analysis.
The court has asked state education department secretaries in NCR to sensitise schoolchildren about the health and environmental impact of pollution, particularly during festivals.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 16.
(With inputs from agency)
