New Delhi: The governments of Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts on Friday submitted a set of suggestions to the Supreme Court regarding the use of green firecrackers, proposing that their bursting be allowed only under specific conditions and within fixed hours.
Suggested Timings and Conditions
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the NCR states, told a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran that on Diwali, green crackers should be permitted only between 8 pm and 10 pm.
“We have made suggestions,” Mehta said, noting that the states had proposed a balanced approach for the court’s consideration.
He added that bursting of firecrackers could be allowed provided certain conditions were met, including that only NEERI-approved green crackers be manufactured and sold. Joint crackers or ‘laris’ would neither be manufactured, sold, nor used.
Sale and Distribution Restrictions
Mehta proposed that crackers be sold exclusively through licensed traders, who must stock only permitted varieties. “It shall be ensured by the NCR state governments, GNCTD, and PESO that no e-commerce website, including Flipkart, Amazon etc., shall accept any online order and effect any online sale,” he said.
For other occasions, the NCR governments suggested limited windows:
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Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: 11.55 pm to 12.30 am
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Gurpurab: 4 am to 5 am and 9 pm to 10 pm
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Marriages and other celebrations: sales and use may be permitted
Background
The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions related to the manufacture and sale of green crackers in Delhi-NCR. On September 26, it had allowed certified manufacturers to produce green crackers but barred their sale in prohibited NCR areas without prior approval. The Centre was also asked to review the absolute ban on firecracker manufacture in the region.
The NCR consists of Delhi and 16 districts across Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The suggestions from the states aim to balance traditional celebrations with public health concerns in the pollution-prone region.