As the winter season approaches and pollution levels spike, the Delhi government has ordered a complete ban on firecrackers across the National Capital Territory (NCT) until January 1, 2025. The ban extends to the manufacturing, storage, sale, and online delivery of all firecrackers, including those marketed as eco-friendly or green crackers.
"Like last year, we are imposing a complete ban on the production, storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers. The online delivery or sale of firecrackers is also completely banned," Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated. He added that the decision is part of the 21-point Winter Action Plan, designed to mitigate pollution during the cold season when air quality in Delhi deteriorates significantly.
Delhi has implemented such measures before.
The first ban was introduced in 2017 following a Supreme Court investigation into the adverse effects of firecrackers on air quality. Although the court allowed green crackers in 2018, the Delhi government has enforced a blanket ban every winter since 2020, citing the difficulty in distinguishing between green and conventional crackers.
Meanwhile, in response to a petition by the ‘Delhi Fireworks Shopkeepers Association’, which represents traders holding permanent licenses to sell firecrackers, the Delhi High Court expressed its reluctance to lift the ban. “We are not going to allow you to sell. There is enough pollution in this city,” Justice Sanjeev Narula stated.
The petitioners argued that they were being harassed by authorities for storing firecrackers despite the ban. However, the court stressed that storage posed a risk and directed authorities to seal the premises of traders to prevent pilferage. “The state must be involved in the sealing process so that there is no pilferage,” Justice Narula said.
Prabhat Shukla speaks to Narender Gupta, president of the Fireworks and General Traders Welfare Association, over the issue. Excerpts.:
What did the firecracker business look like before the ban?
Lots of underprivileged families were involved in this business. People would often mortgage their jewellery to buy up stocks ahead of Diwali. A few weeks of sales would feed a family for the whole year. A single licence would financially support 6-8 families. It also helped stimulate other businesses. Customers used to visit firecracker hubs like Sadar Bazaar and purchased other products as well.
How has the ban impacted the industry?
The ban is a matter of grave concern for us. No other city in the country has a complete ban on firecrackers. The government and courts never consider the adverse effects of such orders on thousands of families. Not so long ago, a total of 1,200 licences were issued for firecracker traders in Delhi. This number was then reduced to around 180 licences and in the past two years, they’ve stopped issuing them altogether. In these two years, traders have lost crores worth of goods. Traders who had received their licences had bought up a large stock ahead of Diwali, only to find out later that their licences had been revoked. After being forced to store the stock for a year, the same thing happens again next year. In the meantime, the stock becomes unusable, leading to massive losses. They are not even allowing green crackers to be sold now.
Has the ban effectively stopped the use of firecrackers in the city?
No. Despite the ban, people still burst crackers in the city. They are either smuggled in from places like Sonipat, Panipat, and Bahadurgarh, or people go out and buy them themselves. Authorities have not been able to stop people from bursting or purchasing firecrackers. Despite the ban, everywhere firecrackers are burst. Only those who relied on them for their livelihoods have taken a hit.