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Cracker sale in Lucknow: Fake ‘green’ upfront, big bang under the counter
A reality check revealed a thriving market of deception where buyers are paying up to 40% more for counterfeit “green” fireworks and sellers themselves not able to clearly identify the genuine deal
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LUCKNOW Across the city’s festive markets, every second firecracker stall is operating a two-tier trade: shelves stacked with counterfeit brands sporting bogus ‘green’ tags and fake QR codes in full view and a hidden stash of banned, high-decibel crackers — from laris to rockets — peddled freely from under the counter.
Even as Lucknow Police proposed 1,201 temporary shops across 60 designated sites with a strict “green crackers only” mandate, a ground reality check revealed a thriving market of deception where buyers are paying up to 40% more for counterfeit “green” fireworks, and sellers themselves cannot tell the real deal from a fake.
Green crackers are those considered better for the environment than conventional ones, as they emit less smoke and sound. They can be identified by a green CSIR-NEERI logo and a QR code on the packet, which should ideally lead to the CSIR-NEERI licence granted to the company for making green crackers.
Compared to traditional crackers, they achieve at least a 30% reduction in particulate matter (PM) or a 20% reduction in PM along with 10% fewer gaseous pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
On the ground, however, scanning those codes tells a very different story. Packets boldly stamped ‘green crackers’ showed up with no logo and no code at all. Where QR codes did exist, many turned out to be gimmicks: some directed buyers to blank websites, dead links, or YouTube videos demonstrating how the firework bursts. Others opened up to random mobile numbers, stolen licences of unrelated companies, or worse—advertisements to book the vendor for weddings and parties.
Adding insult to injury, brands peddling these fake QR codes and forged NEERI labels are charging a 35% to 40% premium over genuinely certified green crackers.
Behind the brazen violations lies a mix of opportunistic profiteering and ignorance among shopkeepers regarding what actually constitutes a green cracker or which items— like rockets and laris (cracker mats) — were recently added to the banned list.
Sachin Kumar Gautam, one of the sellers, said crackers with CSIR-NEERI logo are the green crackers. When asked about the QR codes, he said: “I have no idea about QR codes, but all I know is the crackers with green CSIR-NEERI logo are green crackers.”
Ayan Siddiqui, a vendor in Kakori, said in reality, there is no such thing as green crackers. “Green crackers emit less smoke and sound. None of the ones on sale now emit as much sound as crackers manufactured 20-30 years back, so all are green crackers,” he said.
Meanwhile, crackers, including banned items, remain readily available at a 25% price hike over last year.
Faizan Azad of Azad Fireworks said a ground spinner is being sold for ₹150 to 400, firepots for ₹200 to 750, fire-sparklers for ₹100 to 450, bullet bomb for ₹100 to 450, sky shots for ₹200 to 650, cracker mats for ₹40 to 600, and rockets for ₹200 to 400. Another vendor in Kakori said: “In reality, there is nothing like green crackers. The ones which burn with a green light are green crackers.”
“Large quantities of pollutants formed due to the burning of firecrackers during Diwali are the main cause of the spike in air pollution in Lucknow,” said Bhaskar Narayan, director of CSIR-IITR. “Individual bursting of crackers should be discouraged and community burning should be promoted. Urban local bodies can organise community firework fetes along the riverbed where citizens can gather. Besides curbing pollution, it will also boost the circular economy.”
HOW TO SPOT A FAKE
LOOK FOR TWIN SEAL: Genuine boxes must have both the green CSIR-NEERI logo and a scannable QR code.
SCAN BEFORE YOU PAY: The QR code must open the manufacturer’s official CSIR-NEERI licence—not a YouTube video, phone number, or party ad.
KNOW THE BANNED LIST: Cracker mats (laris), cracker strings, and rockets are strictly prohibited.
