Despite NCR ban, illegal firecracker sales thrive in Gurugram

HT spot check found banned crackers hidden under counters and sold without bills in Sector 31, 46, 56, Palam Vihar, Badshahpur, and more.

Despite a complete ban on the sale and storage of conventional firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR), a spot check by the Hindustan Times team across several markets in Gurugram revealed that traditional firecrackers are still being sold quietly, discreetly, and at high prices.

Despite official denials, illegal sales continue through hidden channels, with consignments arriving from Bahadurgarh and Rewari. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

During inspections, the HT team found small shopkeepers in markets such as Sector 31, Sector 46, South City 1 and 2, Sector 56, Sector 10, Palam Vihar, Badshahpur and Sushant Lok 1 and 2 selling banned firecrackers. The stock was often concealed in sacks under tables or behind counters displaying legal Diwali items such as diyas, lights and decorative candles.

To be sure, The Supreme Court, in its October 15 order, has allowed the sale and use of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute-approved green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR from October 18 to 20, but only as a test case under strict monitoring. Firecrackers can be burst between 6am–7am and 8pm–10pm on Diwali and its eve. Only licensed traders at designated outlets can sell green firecrackers that emit 30% less particulate matter and gases. The sale or use of conventional, high-emission, series (‘lari’), or barium-based crackers, as well as online and unlicensed roadside sales, remains banned. Bursting outside permitted hours is also prohibited. Enforcement will involve joint drives by police and pollution control officials across Delhi, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan, with Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation(PESO) conducting inspections and seizing illegal stock.

“We only sell firecrackers to our regular customers or to those who specifically ask for them. This year, because of the blanket ban, we began selling them discreetly around Dussehra,” said a shopkeeper from Sector 31 market, requesting not to be named.

At Badshahpur market, a shopkeeper who initially denied having any stock quietly pulled out packets of crackers from under a table. When asked for a bill, he refused. “We can’t give a bill. These are sold in black. If we print bills, we’ll be caught,” he said, requesting anonymity. “We only sell to known customers. Police have been visiting regularly, so we keep them hidden.”

At another kiosk in Sector 46, a shopkeeper produced a sack containing small boxes of sparklers, fountains, rockets and ground spinners, all priced above the printed rate. “We have both locally made and branded firecrackers. Sparklers are priced at ₹100, rockets at ₹500, and ground spinners around ₹400. Since these items aren’t openly available due to the restrictions, we’re keeping the prices slightly higher,” he said. When asked about the ban, he added, “Everyone knows, but people still want some fireworks for Diwali night or even for family or office events. If we don’t sell, someone else will. The crackers we’re selling are leftover stock from last year.”

He used cloth bags instead of transparent ones to conceal the purchase. “We’re using cloth bags so the crackers aren’t easily visible. We have to be careful,” he said. Asked about green crackers, he responded, “No one really wants to buy them. Most people are looking for loud noise and vibrant colours, something green crackers don’t offer.”

Shopkeepers admitted selling only to known buyers, concealing banned crackers behind Diwali décor while police plan special raids. (HT Photo)

Locals continue to buy despite ban

Several residents admitted to buying small quantities of traditional firecrackers despite high prices. “My kids insist on bursting a few rockets and chakris,” said Kavita Yadav, a resident of South City 2. “The prices are double, but we end up spending ₹500– ₹1,000 just to keep them happy. The craze for crackers is definitely fading, but some people still associate Diwali with fireworks.”

In Sushant Lok 1, Rakesh Sharma, a software engineer, said he purchased fountain fireworks, red-coloured bombs and sky shots from a stationery store. “The shopkeeper sold them quietly, packed them in a brown bag and said, ‘No bill, sir.’ He said police had been seizing stock in some markets, so they only sell on request,” Sharma said.

While the overall demand for firecrackers has declined, underground sales persist through hidden channels. “We light diyas and avoid loud crackers, but my parents still bring a few every year,” said Meenakshi Arora, a resident of Sector 56. “It feels incomplete otherwise.”

Authorities deny availability

A senior fire department official told HT that firecrackers are currently not available anywhere in the city. “We recently inspected firecracker storage units in Farrukhnagar and Gadoli, and all of them are closed. Only green crackers will be permitted for sale, and that too between October 18 and 21,” the official said.

However, vendors in Sector 56 said business continues at a reduced scale. “Five years ago, Diwali week meant non-stop customers. Now we barely sell ten boxes a day,” said a shopkeeper who had hidden his stock behind a tarpaulin sheet. “People have reduced, but not stopped. Many still want to celebrate the old way, even if prices have gone up,” he added. According to him, most of the stock arrives in small consignments from Bahadurgarh and Rewari and is distributed through informal networks. “Everyone knows it’s risky. We just hope to sell off what we have before the police make rounds,” he said.

Buyers say the craze for loud fireworks remains even as prices double and enforcement tightens ahead of the Supreme Court’s ‘green crackers only’ window. (HT Photo)

Enforcement and regulations

Following directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court, the Haryana government has prohibited the sale and storage of non-green firecrackers across the NCR, including Gurugram. Only certified “green crackers” with reduced emissions are permitted under licence, but none of the vendors visited by HT could produce valid licences or proof of the origin of their stock. Some were found mislabelling traditional firecrackers as green ones.

Senior Gurugram Police officials said enforcement teams have been instructed to conduct regular raids and impose penalties on violators. “We are aware that some small shopkeepers try to sell traditional crackers secretly. Special drives are being planned this week,” said ACP Kuldeep, New Colony. “We urge residents to avoid purchasing banned items and to inform local police if such sales are noticed,” he added.

An illegal warehouse busted by CM’s flying squad who seized more than 200 kilograms of prohibited category crackers in Badshahpur on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Meanwhile, in Delhi and Noida

Three days before the Supreme Court’s permitted sale window for “green firecrackers” opens on October 18, Delhi’s markets are openly selling banned fireworks, an HT spot check found. At Sadar Bazar, Jama Masjid, Lajpat Nagar, and Greater Kailash, vendors sold crackers labelled “green” or “pollution-free” without valid National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) or Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) QR codes. “It’s written on the box – see, ‘Green Revolution’. These don’t cause pollution,” said a vendor near Jama Masjid. In Noida’s Sector 18 market, traders sold small fireworks disguised as “less harmful.” “We don’t keep big bombs, just small items for kids,” a shopkeeper said, despite the ongoing ban.