Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi and Haryana, requested the court to lift restrictions, proposing specific timings for green firecracker use. According to his submission, crackers could be burst from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali, between 11:45 pm and 12:30 am on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and for one hour during Gurpurab. These measures aim to balance festival traditions with environmental concerns.
Mehta emphasized that only green crackers approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) should be sold. He also proposed regular inspections by PESO and NEERI to ensure compliance with environmental standards. The sale of these crackers would be restricted to licensed traders and permitted manufacturers.
Highlighting safety and regulatory concerns, Mehta suggested e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart should not facilitate online sales of green crackers. Amicus Curiae senior advocate Aparajita Singh raised issues regarding “fake green crackers” being sold under misleading labels that may contain harmful chemicals.
The court also inquired about air quality improvements in Delhi-NCR from 2018 to 2024. Mehta noted that Air Quality Index (AQI) levels remained largely unchanged, except during the COVID-19 lockdown period, which saw temporary improvements.
Earlier, on September 26, the Supreme Court had allowed the manufacturing of green crackers in Delhi but prohibited their sale in the NCR. The current hearing continues to focus on balancing public health, environmental concerns, and cultural practices.
