Lanterns, candles and fairy lights return to the city yet again with a question that divides the residents will the smoke season make a comeback too? Somewhere between joy and judgement over the right to celebrate the festival of lights, the city battles worsening smog, fading sentiments and cultural nostalgia.
After five years of bans and bitter debates, the Supreme Court has fuelled a spark allowing the use of “green” firecrackers under strict rules, short time slots, and the promise of environmental safety that only a few believe will hold With the air quality index (AQI) index hitting a new high every day, the decision lands when the city is already gasping for breath.
The horizon blurs into a pale grey, and the familiar metallic tang of winter pollution hangs thick in the air, yet the echo of childhood memories forces its citizens to reclaim the almost lost tradition with the court’s nod.
The unmistakable itch of nostalgia defined by gunpowder and laughter overpowers the masks, warnings and emissions. However, critics argue that it is a legalised relapse, a dangerous indulgence in the name of culture. Inside government offices, the move is being presented as a careful balance between the emotion-ecology and faith-future binaries.
But, in hospitals, doctors are bracing for the inevitable: coughing children, wheezing elders and emergency wards filling faster than the city’s lungs can clear. Environmentalists warn that even “green” fireworks release 70 per cent of the same toxins that Delhi once tried to ban. Traders call it hope; lawyers call it hypocrisy.
Court’s verdict
The debate over green crackers is not new, but this year’s ruling has reignited it with sharper urgency. On October 15, the Supreme Court permitted the sale and bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi and neighbouring regions under tightly regulated conditions. To strike a balance between public sentiment with environmental responsibility the Delhi government, now under a new dispensation, has welcomed the move.
To curb excess use of crackers, the officials insist that only authorised manufacturers will supply certified stock and that strict time limits will be enforced. However, environmentalists, doctors and legal experts warn that the so-called green variants remain far from harmless.
Earlier in the month, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had announced that her government would urge the Supreme Court to allow certified green firecrackers during Diwali. She argued that the move “aims to ensure that celebrations are joyful and responsible”.
For compliance, she said the government would ensure all green firecrackers were manufactured by authorised entities and duly certified by competent departments.
“Diwali is the most significant festival in Indian culture, deeply rooted in the emotions of the people,” Gupta adds to defend the rationale behind her exuberance. The Supreme Court’s order permits bursting crackers only between 6 am and 7 am and, then, between 8 pm and 10 pm on October 19 and 20.
The court also cautioned against firecrackers being smuggled into Delhi-NCR, noting that they cause higher pollution than the certified green variants. It directed authorities to revoke the licences of manufacturers involved in producing or selling fake green crackers.
Govt’s moderation
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that retailers will play a critical role this Diwali. “They must inform buyers that only green crackers are permitted and clarify that the apex court has allowed their use for just two hours in the evening and one hour in the morning over the next two days. This relaxation is temporary—if Delhi demonstrates discipline, it could become permanent. Safeguarding our environment and traditions is a shared responsibility,” he said.
However, critics caution that enforcement of certification may remain weak, raising the risk of non-certified crackers entering the market. Every year, in October and November, Delhi’s air turns hazardous due to crop burning in neighbouring states, vehicle emissions, construction dust and residue from past fireworks. “The government’s decision reflects the competing pressures to strike a balance between public health issues and cultural celebration,” said a local
Origins of green crackers
Following a Supreme Court directive, Delhi was introduced to the concept of green firecrackers in 2018. In 2017, the apex court imposed a temporary ban on traditional fireworks in Delhi-NCR, recognising them as key contributors to pollution. The court was of the opinion that strict regulation of firecracker use was essential.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research– National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR– NEERI) subsequently developed a new type of firecracker designed to reduce emissions. As a result, in October 2018, the court permitted the limited use of certified green crackers subject to certain terms and conditions.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government at the time said that there was no clear system to identify, certify or distribute green firecrackers. In practice, a complete ban continued. Between 2019 and 2024, Delhi governments enforced bans every year before Diwali, citing severe air pollution. In 2023, the Supreme Court clarified that it had not imposed a universal ban on green crackers, leaving it to states to decide restrictions based on local pollution levels. Despite this, the previous Delhi government never allowed its use.
Wary critics
Environmental lawyer Aakash Vashishtha has sharply criticised the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a “legalised disaster”. “The Supreme Court has failed to gauge the gravity of the issue and has allowed a disaster to happen legally,” he said. “There has been a disaster year after year, and this time, the court has licensed it in the name of green crackers.” Vashishtha argued that green crackers are no real solution. “Even green crackers contain around 70% of the pollutants found in conventional ones.
The claim of being 30% less polluting does not change the fact that they continue to harm the environment and public health.” He warned that the ruling could worsen conditions for people with respiratory illnesses. “This will particularly affect asthma patients and others living with chronic respiratory or cardiac conditions,” he said. Questioning government preparedness, he said,
“The authorities have guidelines to check whether the crackers sold are actually green, but there is no mechanism to verify this on the ground. Do the flying squads have chemical engineers who can test them on the spot? Are they trained enough? It’s not practically possible, especially in such a short period.” On the argument of tradition and festivity, he emphasised constitutional rights. “The right to health and to live is the highest and foremost fundamental right under Article 21. Celebrations cannot snatch away people’s right to life,” he said.
Health hazards that come along
Doctors across Delhi have warned of the health risks posed by firecrackers, even green ones. “Burning firecrackers can significantly affect human health, especially when baseline air pollution is already high,” said Dr Ujjawal Parakh, senior consultant of chest medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. “When baseline air quality is poor, adding more pollutants through fireworks can severely affect those with asthma, lung diseases and heart conditions,” he said.
Firecrackers release fine particles of PM2.5 along with sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and heavy metals, such as lead, copper, zinc, magnesium and cadmium. “These can cause chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and, in some cases, deep chest pain. The severity depends on pollutant concentration and exposure,” Dr Parakh added. Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care and pulmonology at C K Birla Hospital, Gurugram, said, “Green firecrackers emit around 30% fewer pollutants than normal firecrackers, but they still emit 70% of the pollutants.
Asthma and COPD patients have reactive airways— even minimal exposure can trigger attacks.” Residents particularly the ones with respiratory or cardiac conditions are advised to take protective measures such as the use of N95 masks. “Everyone should wear N95 masks on the day of Diwali, especially during and after firework hours,” Dr Grover said. Dr Parakh added, “Those suffering from diseases aggravated by pollution, and the elderly, should ideally stay indoors. Keep windows and doors closed, and use purifiers with HEPA filters to reduce PM2.5 levels.”
Action on the ground
The Delhi Police has seized over 9,000 kg of banned firecrackers in a series of operations across the city since September 1, arresting at least 36 people. Its Crime Branch and Anti- Auto Theft Squad teams have intensified crackdowns on illegal firecrackers in line with the Supreme Court directions and the Delhi government’s blanket ban. Homes, godowns and shops that repackaged and sold banned crackers have yielded large recoveries. A senior officer said, “Sustained efforts are underway to detect and prevent the illegal trade, with strict action against violators.” He added that they had received a total of 188 applications, out of which 168 were approved till 9.30 pm on Saturday.
A city divided
As Delhi prepares to celebrate under a haze of uncertainty, the city finds itself at a crossroads—between nostalgia and necessity. For every home that will light diyas and burst a few green crackers, another will close its doors and switch on air purifiers. The Supreme Court, the government and the manufacturers have laid the framework, but the city will decide whether this experiment succeeds or fails the air quality. This Diwali, Delhi stands divided— between the crackle of celebration and the silence of smog.
