Supreme Court rejects sale of green crackers, extends warm Diwali greetings

The Supreme Court of India has rejected an application seeking approval for green crackers containing barium salts. These barium-based green crackers were deemed harmful to human health, and the apex court had previously banned them in October 2018 due to their adverse health effects. The decision was made as part of a case involving fireworks manufacturers who had sought permission to produce crackers with 30% less emissions and had requested the lifting of the ban on joint crackers, also known as 'laris.'

The Supreme Court upheld the ban on green crackers containing barium salts and maintained that any violations of their earlier orders would be regulated according to those orders. The court's initial ban on crackers in 2018 came as a response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by three minors, led by Arjun Gopal, who raised concerns about the enforcement of the ban, as manufacturers continued to flout it.

Limited to manufacturers' application:

The Supreme Court's decision is specific to the application by manufacturers represented under the Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA). These manufacturers had agreed to adhere to the approved green cracker formulations established by expert bodies such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), regulated by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
While the Indian government supported the manufacturers' application, arguing that the 2018 ban was intended only for that year's Diwali, the court emphasized that the ban was applicable beyond a single year. The government also asserted that barium was not banned and that research from expert bodies showed that improved or green crackers would reduce pollution.

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Enforcement and concerns:

The Supreme Court expressed serious concerns about the continued availability of firecrackers despite the ban and directed the Delhi police to provide a report on their efforts to enforce the court's orders. The court also emphasized the need for proactive measures to identify the sources of unauthorized firecrackers.
The petitioner's counsel argued that the proposed green or improved crackers contained barium salts, which have harmful effects on human health, including respiratory problems. In summary, the Supreme Court's decision upholds the ban on green crackers with barium salts while emphasizing the importance of enforcing bans on unauthorized firecrackers to protect public health and reduce pollution.

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