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‘If used in large numbers…’: Expert take on green crackers as Delhi govt seeks Supreme Court nod
Some experts say that ‘green crackers’ are expected to emit nearly 30 per cent fewer pollutants, while others called the idea of such crackers an oxymoron.
The Delhi government has announced that it will move the Supreme Court seeking a nod to the use of certified 'green crackers' on Diwali. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that Diwali is the most important festival in Indian culture, and her administration has decided to approach the court for crores of people who celebrate the festival in the city.
Notably, the Supreme Court, in its directive dated September 26, allowed certified manufacturers to produce green crackers only on the condition that they will not sell them in the banned Delhi-NCR region without its approval.
Green crackers are eco-friendly fireworks developed by CSIR-NEERI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) in India. They aim to reduce air and noise pollution by removing harmful chemicals like barium and using additives that suppress dust and release water vapour.
Some experts say that such crackers are expected to emit nearly 30 per cent fewer pollutants, while others criticised the Delhi government’s decision and called the idea of “green crackers” an oxymoron.
Experts on use of 'green crackers'
Many experts said that it would be nearly impossible for authorities to distinguish who is bursting green crackers and who is not.
Bhargav Krishna, convener, Sustainable Futures Collaborative, told Hindustan Times, “Green firecrackers are an oxymoron and a small reduction in the air pollution they emit is not going to make a significant difference to air quality, especially if they are widely available.”
Mukesh Khare, an air pollution expert at IIT Delhi, told the newspaper that any progress from the ‘green crackers’ would immediately disappear if people use them in large numbers. “Though these have less sulphur and fewer toxic chemicals, if conventional firecrackers are burst together -- or even if green ones are used in large numbers -- any benefit is immediately offset,” he said.
Bhavreen Kandhari, clean air strategist, told PTI that although green crackers reduce certain emissions, they still release harmful ultrafine particles and gases that make them “less-bad” rather than safe.
Dipankar Saha, former additional director and head of Air Laboratories at Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi, told the news agency that green crackers contain fewer harmful chemicals and are designed to release water vapour, which results in nearly 30 per cent lower emissions.
Adding to the woes is another big problem. Fake QR codes, chemical manipulation, and unverified claims of “eco-friendliness” have made the classification process extremely difficult.
Many ‘green crackers’ sold in the market were found to contain the same banned chemicals, barium nitrate, lead, arsenic, and antimony, that are known to make conventional crackers toxic.
Delhi's firecracker ban
Delhi has had a firecracker ban in place for years due to its high pollution levels. During Diwali, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) often falls in the ‘severe’ category, leading to repeated interventions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Delhi government, and the Supreme Court.
Since 2019, Delhi has banned all kinds of firecrackers, including green ones. Even after the Supreme Court said in 2023 that states could allow certified green crackers, the previous government enforced a complete ban due to pollution concerns.
