Supreme Court Allows Five-Day Diwali Crackers Use in Delhi Causing Mixed Reactions Across Public, Activists and Industry

In a dramatic turnaround, the Supreme Court of India has decided to lift the firecracker ban in Delhi for a five-day window around Diwali, permitting the sale and bursting of green crackers under regulated conditions. The decision has generated both relief among festival-goers, apprehension among environmentalists and traders. This shift, after five years of strict prohibition, underscores the challenging balance between cultural traditions, public health, air quality, and livelihoods.

Origin of the Ban and Why It Was Lifted

The firecracker ban in Delhi is not new. First implemented in 2017, in 2018, the apex court, in the Arjun Gopal case, authorised only green crackers with reduced emissions during narrow time slots (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.). Later, the National Green Tribunal imposed a more sweeping ban on all types of firecrackers during Diwali in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to worsening air pollution. Over time, the ban evolved into a near year-round prohibition on manufacture, sale, storage and bursting in Delhi. 

However, ahead of Diwali 2025, the Supreme Court observed that a total ban is “neither practical nor ideal” and hinted at permitting regulated use of green crackers. The court reserved its verdict and ultimately set a limited five-day relaxation period (October 18–22) to allow licensed green fireworks in predefined time windows. 

Among residents, reactions are mixed. “This is our festival; we deserve to burst crackers at least for a few days,” said one household member in Delhi’s Govindpuri Extension. A resident of Chittaranjan Park commented, “Even if they permit only green ones, people will find ways to buy the old ones,” expressing scepticism about enforcement. 

Amidst increasing sounds and easier access to crackers this year, with some small shops and street vendors already selling and displaying them in open, this Diwali is to become a litmus test for Delhi’s winter.

Probable Consequences and Environmental Concerns

Permitting crackers—even “green” ones—raises serious questions about air quality impacts. A senior climate scientist, Dr. Ravi Chopra, warns, “Green crackers may reduce particulate emissions by 30 per cent under lab conditions, but in real atmospheric settings their benefit is marginal when overlaid on baseline pollution.” Similarly, climate activist Rohit Verma cautioned: “Allowing fireworks in winter is a regression; vulnerable populations will again inhale the cost of celebration.”

Indeed, studies have shown that during Diwali, PM 2.5 levels may spike several times above normal, with firework emissions contributing a large share of elemental pollutants.  In a research study done by University of Berkley and IIT Delhi, PM 2.5 concentrations in Delhi surged up to 16-times compared to pre-firework levels.The concern is that the timing of Diwali coincides with temperature inversions and stagnant air; thus pollutants tend to linger longer, for instance, if the festival lies in November instead of October further worsening respiratory and cardiovascular burdens.

Delhi’s weather for this year has already worsened with air quality being “poor”. With AQI readings having crossed 200 at most places, it is at the worst state in four months. Amidst this the firecracker ban lift would cause a killer blow to what is already anticipated as the coldest winter in decades in Delhi.

Moreover, there is ample risk of “leakage” wherein non-certified or traditional crackers find their way into the market disguised as green ones. The Supreme Court itself flagged the problem of fake green crackers and the challenge of verifying authenticity.  The net effect could erode any anticipated gains in air quality.

Rohit continues, “They have done this by saying that children deserve to burst crackers and enjoy Diwali, but they are forgetting that children along with the senior citizens will be the worst sufferers for this.”

However, last year, despite the ban, fireworks were ovserved in the NCR, which caused the air pollution said to be about 14 times the limit which has been prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Impact on Industry and Commerce

One of the key drivers behind this change has been pressure from the firecracker manufacturing sector, which has suffered over years of bans. While vehicular pollution, stubble burning and industrial exhausts are the main causes of Delhi’s winter nightmare, the blame is easily pushed on firecracker industry as it is an easy bait and the industry is completely informal and a temporary diluted one with the most terrible working conditions. 

Many small-scale industries, especially in regions like Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu), depend on seasonal Diwali business. Under the ban, many units were forced to shut or cut production, leading to widespread job losses and unsold inventory, especially for the informal sector workers.

Local vendors in Delhi expect a revival. As Mukul Chand, one firecracker vendor in Sadar Bazaar, Delhi and allegedly India’s largest wholesale market, claimed: “By selling firecrackers instead of just diyas, I’m sure I will double the profits I used to make, the profit margin is far larger.” He added that in past years he had been forced to rely on small lighting goods with low margins; now the pent-up demand will allow him to stock green and mild fireworks.

Reports suggest traders in Sadar Bazaar and Chandni Chowk anticipate daily turnovers in the range of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. lakh per vendor in peak days. Even though formal shops remain cautious until a written court order arrives, the market has already stirred. 

Yet risk remains: if demand is concentrated in a few days, supply chain bottlenecks or enforcement crackdowns could destabilise businesses. Some manufacturers also warn that if restrictions are reversed again in future years, confidence will be shaken, and investment dried up.

The Supreme Court’s order to lift the Diwali cracker ban in Delhi for five days opens a fraught but potentially constructive experiment, but only if regulatory safeguards, strict certification, public awareness, and real-time monitoring back it up.