Supreme Court Permits Green Firecracker Production But Bars Sale Without Approval

The Supreme Court permits the manufacture of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR while clarifying that no sales may take place until it grants explicit approval.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai with Justices K Vinod Chandran and NB Anjaria, fixes the next hearing for October 8 and asks the Centre to engage all stakeholders to reach a balanced solution.

During the hearing, the Court draws parallels with Bihar’s experience of illegal mining following blanket bans, stressing the need for a more nuanced approach.

It instructs the Additional Solicitor General to inform the Ministry of Environment and Forests to involve all interested parties.

The bench also questions Delhi government counsel about its mechanism to curb illegal sales, to which the government responds that no testing system currently exists for green firecrackers.

Chief Justice Gavai suggests surprise inspections and alternative measures, noting that the Delhi Police lacks technical expertise in this area.

Tracking and Compliance Measures

Amicus Curiae proposes the use of QR codes to trace the link between manufacturers and vendors, citing a 65 per cent reduction in illegal supply through this method.

The Court underlines the need to distinguish clearly between production and retailing, urging the authorities to fix gaps in enforcement.

The bench reiterates that any environmental policy on firecrackers must apply across India rather than only to Delhi-NCR.

Chief Justice Gavai remarks that framing a policy solely for the capital region is impractical, as environmental concerns affect the entire country. This observation arises from petitions challenging the Court’s April 3 order banning the sale, storage, transport and manufacture of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

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