Supreme Court Allows Limited Use of New Green Firecrackers, Barium Review Ongoing

The Supreme Court, hearing a petition by three minors seeking a blanket ban on firecrackers, allowed the use of specified next-generation joint green crackers but stopped short of a full prohibition. The bench, comprising justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale, emphasized the need to balance air-quality worries with cultural sentiments. It granted the Centre and bodies such as CSIR-NEERI, PESO and CPCB until October 15 to complete a study on the impact of barium-containing green crackers.

Experts highlighted that the new crackers produce noise below 125 decibels and contain no barium, though manufacturers must follow strict limits on shell number, size and burst intervals. The court also warned against unrestricted 24-hour bursting, citing health risks for vulnerable groups. Firecracker industry representatives urged swift approval to meet Diwali demand, while parallel litigation in Delhi-NCR continues.