When we think of Diwali, sparklers, flowerpot, mirchi bomb and chakris automatically come to mind. But over the past few years, environmental activists and pet-lovers have cautioned us about the ill-effects of these pollution-generating devices. And now, the Supreme Court seems to have heard their pleas.
The apex court recently ruled out the blanket ban on firecrackers in Delhi-National Capital Region, it has permitted the sale of “green and reduced-emission or improved crackers”. Also, it has restricted the bursting of crackers across India to two hours from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and other festivities, including weddings. It has also set a separate slot 11.55 pm to 12.30 am for bursting crackers during Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the country. A bench headed by Justice A.K. Sikri said that the crackers can be manufactured and sold only by the licensed holders and imposed a complete ban on the sale of firecrackers by e-commerce firms.
While many environmentalists are happy with the court’s decision, independent environmental policy expert Dr D. Narshima Reddy believes that an SC ruling will have no impact on what’s become a social convention. “The government should look into this matter. There is no scientific basis for the bursting of crackers to be permitted for a reduced time. Still, the move is a welcome step in the right direction.”
Given the current state of affairs, environmentalist Professor K. Purushotham Reddy also believes that the introduction of a time will have no real impact on reducing air pollution. “Regulating firecrackers or even completely banning them won’t help the environment unless we adopt a holistic approach to keeping pollution at bay,” he says.
However, for those who love to burst the crackers on Diwali, this decision is not a welcome move. MNC-employee Roshni Ghosh, says, “For the people who celebrate Diwali with firecrackers, the time frame comes as bad news. My friends wrap up work by 9 pm and usually, we only start bursting crackers after that. So that means that this year we will get to celebrate for only 30 minutes. The time limit won’t work here, for sure,” she says.
