Less Harmful, But Not Harmless: Delhi Divided Over Green Crackers Ruling

"Do you mean less poison?" asks Bhavreen Kandhari as she reacts to the Supreme Court's decision on opening the doors for firecrackers in Delhi-NCR by allowing green crackers this Diwali. Kandhari has been fighting for the cause of clean air for nearly three decades now. She is agitated with the Supreme Court's decision as she says the directive goes against the fundamental "right to healthy environment" enshrined in the Constitution, under Article 21.

What Did The Supreme Court Do

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 15) allowed bursting green crackers in Delhi between October 20 and 21. With this, the top court tried to strike a balance between the interests of the industry and public health, it said.

A blanket ban on firecrackers does not help as people "smuggle" conventional firecrackers which cause a "more damaging effect than the green crackers now developed," the bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said.

"The district administration and the police shall ensure that use of firecrackers shall be confined between 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM on the two days i.e., the one before and on the Diwali day," the court said.

The Supreme Court allowed bursting green crackers in Delhi between October 20 and 21.

What Are Green Crackers

Developed by CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), green crackers are claimed to produce 30 per cent less pollution than conventional firecrackers. They contain reduced amounts of chemicals like barium, aluminum, and include additives that suppress dust and smoke.

Green crackers are also said to produce less noise and burn for shorter duration with controlled flames.

Also Read: What Is A Green Cracker And How Different Is It From A Conventional Cracker

Nod To Green Crackers, But With An Asterisk*

• Only certified manufacturers in Delhi-NCR must make green crackers. These manufacturers must have permits from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation.
• No crackers from outside will be allowed in the NCR.
• Patrol teams conduct regular checks on the green cracker manufacturers and upload the QR codes of green crackers on the website.
• If fake green crackers are found, the manufacturer's license will be suspended, the court warned.

Also Read: Green Crackers Allowed In Delhi On Diwali By Supreme Court, With Conditions

Bans Defied, Will Greens Work?

Citizens are worried over the lack of implementation of guidelines and rules. The Supreme Court first imposed a ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in 2014-15 in view of rising air pollution. However, enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance have always prevailed.

"You don't really know what is behind the label," said Kandhari raising question on the authenticity of green crackers. "QR codes on cracker boxes or the restricted timings may sound reassuring on paper, but we know that in practice that's not going to happen. People had begun to burn crackers even before the court's order. How will you ensure that people burst crackers only on given dates and time?" she further asked.

The Supreme Court first imposed a ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in 2014-15.

Air pollution is not just an environmental issue, said Kandhari, adding, "We are talking about public health. 30 per cent less pollution is meaningless. Are you saying less poison? Do you want to feed your children less poison? I'm fighting for clean air even before my children were born, and I still managed to give them only damaged lungs."

Diwali is a festival of lights. It is about celebrating with friends and family and exchanging sweets. Over the years, we have started to associate it with burning firecrackers, opines Divyam Sharma, a resident of Delhi.

"The use of green crackers shows that over the years the state machinery has totally failed in cracking down on illegal sale of firecrackers and implementing a blanket ban. Since you failed, you have given into the demand of people. However, there is no empirical evidence on green crackers being safe. The objective must be no pollution," he said.

The court order came a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced curbs under stage one of the graded response action plan (GRAP-1) as the air quality index crossed 200. GRAP-1 focuses on dust mitigation at construction sites, waste management and reducing emissions.

"Implementing GRAP means you are acknowledging there is pollution, but at the same time you are allowing green crackers," Sharma added.

Sharma stopped bursting crackers in 2017 after they experienced red eyes and burning sensation a day after Diwali and realised how they were adding to the pollution.

"I can't stop everyone, but I can stop myself and my family. Change begins from within," he added.

Acknowledging multiple sources of air pollution, Neha Jain, another Delhi resident, said that allowing green crackers will add to the existing disaster. "The air quality is already in the poor category. My husband has started to use inhaler. I cannot imagine what the air will be like after Diwali. As a kid, I didn't know what a nebuliser or inhaler is. But my kids have breathing issues and with rising pollution, I think nebuliser and inhaler will become as common as Crocin, a medicine for fever," she said. 

Also Read: "A Cracker Is A Cracker": Top Chest Surgeon Warns Over Use Of Green Crackers

But People Want To Have Fun

Anant Prakash has not burst crackers in years, but this year he plans to bring some for his four-year-old daughter. "Bursting crackers adds to the pollution. It is bad, but so is keeping a child bereft of a few sparkles. There should be a balance," he says.

Prakash aims to strike this balance by bursting "few crackers" instead of making it a grand affair.

Some people prefer bursting crackers for fun.

Similarly, Bhavya Chand likes to burn few crackers "for little fun". In her defence, she "doesn't burst from morning to evening." Chands celebrate with fireworks for 10-15 minutes, with some sky shots and sparklers. However, she could not differentiate between green crackers and traditional crackers when she went out to buy some on Thursday.

"I don't know how to distinguish," she said. When asked to look for QR code, she found one and scanned it to check for authenticity.

The crackers were certified green, but the bottom line is that green crackers are less harmful, but not harmless.

Also Read: Explained: A To Z Of Delhi's 'Green' Crackers Debate