India eases ban on firecrackers amid pollution

New DeLHi: India’s top court eased a ban on fireworks for a major Hindu festival despite air pollution in New Delhi and other cities again reaching danger levels.

The Supreme Court, which last year banned firecrackers for the Deepavali festival, rejected a new call for a ban in the capital amid growing concern over pollution.

Firecrackers set off for the festival add to the toxic mix created by farmers burning crop stubble, diesel engines, coal-fired power plants and industrial emissions.

The World Health Organisation in May listed 14 Indian cities, including Delhi, in the world’s top 15 with the dirtiest air.

Ahead of Deepavali on Nov 6, the Supreme Court ordered that only reduced smoke fireworks – so-called “green firecrackers” – could be sold and that this must be through licensed traders, it said.

The court has also set a two-hour window from 8pm to 10pm for the lighting of crackers on Deepavali.

“It needs to be enforced strictly,” Gopal Sankarnarayan, a lawyer for the petitioners, said.

Last year, the Supreme Court suspended the licences of all firecracker sellers in Delhi for one month because of the pollution crisis.

However, many ignored the ban and purchased crackers illegally or brought out old stocks.