The Supreme Court on Friday announced that the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) will be allowed for five days during Diwali on a trial basis. The decision marks a potential first festival season with legal fireworks in years, amid concerns over enforcement and the risk of worsening air pollution.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran reserved its final verdict after hearing the Union government’s proposal for a tightly regulated framework allowing only “green firecrackers” approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). The court also emphasised that the activity would be confined to specific time slots.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi-NCR and Haryana, requested that green firecrackers be permitted between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali. Additional slots were proposed for New Year’s Eve — from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am — and for one hour in the morning and evening during Gurpurab. He also clarified that traditional firecrackers would continue to remain banned.

Authorities have proposed regular inspections of manufacturing units and sales points, along with surprise checks to ensure compliance. Public awareness campaigns will also be undertaken to inform citizens about approved green firecrackers and associated health risks.

NEERI and PESO will maintain updated lists of approved products and manufacturers, while the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–NEERI (CSIR–NEERI) will continue research on lower-emission firecrackers, the Centre informed the Bench.

The court suggested random sampling for verification, acknowledging that new testing facilities could not be established immediately. Senior advocates representing manufacturers urged that specific sales zones be earmarked for easier enforcement.

Environmental experts and amicus curiae, including senior advocate Aparajita Singh, expressed concern that enforcement could be ineffective and “fake green crackers” might enter the market under false labelling.

While NEERI claims that green firecrackers reduce emissions by 30–35 per cent compared to conventional crackers, experts warned that widespread use could negate the benefits. The Bench reviewed air quality trends between 2018 and 2024, noting that pollution levels largely remained unchanged except during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Past experience, the court observed, showed that temporary measures such as green crackers had not significantly reduced pollution levels, raising questions about their effectiveness this Diwali.

The Supreme Court stressed that the permission to use green firecrackers would remain strictly on a trial basis for the five days of Diwali, with its final verdict reserved. Authorities are expected to closely monitor the impact during this period to determine whether the relaxation can be extended or retained in future.