No cracker of a Diwali this year

Firecrackers

FILE PHOTO: A shopkeeper waits for customers in New Delhi , Reuters

Bursting crackers could land you in trouble this Diwali. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed a ban on manufacture, sale, and use of high sound and light emitting crackers including series crackers (laris) across the country.

Those crackers free from the ban need to be burst at designated fields/areas between 8 pm and 10 pm in the capital and adjoining NCR (National Capital Region) area only. Other states have been urged to designate similar community areas.

To ensure compliance of its orders, the Court designated Station House Officer (SHO) of each police station as the nodal officer to receive complaints and book those found violating the order.

This is the first time in the two years that the Court has been exploring means to reduce pollution during Diwali, that it has radically cut down on chemicals permitted to used in firecrackers. By further imposing restrictions on time and place, Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan ensured a curb on noisy, noxious celebrations.

But the question is whether this will be implemented on ground.

Curbs were imposed by the top court in the past too. In 2015, three toddlers filed a PIL seeking a total ban on crackers. On November 11, 2016, the Court suspended all licenses permitting a wholesale or retail sale of fireworks within Delhi-NCR after noting PM2.5 levels crossing 700 µg/m3. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was directed to study the harmful effects of chemicals used in fireworks. The order impacted 821 firework manufacturing industries in and around Sivakasi.

On July 31, 2017, the Court prohibited the use of five chemicals and their compounds in the manufacture of fireworks. These were antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic and lead. By September the same year, the Court added strontium chromate to the list after information from CPCB that it caused lung cancer and skin problems.

No crackers could be burst within 100 metres of silence zones and number of temporary firework licenses in Delhi-NCR was capped at 500. On October 9, 2017, Court considered increased air pollution prior to Diwali and banned the sale of crackers in and around Delhi till November 1, 2017.

After Tuesday's order, licences of manufacturers found selling banned crackers, will be suspended by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). The Court will monitor implementation of its order on December 11.

ALL CELEBRATION, NO POLLUTION

Supreme Court bans manufacture, sale of high sound and light emitting firecrackers

SILENCED

  • Those with arsenic, lead, lithium, antimony, mercury, strontium chromate  
  • Joined or series crackers such as laris  
  • Crackers based on barium salt which emit green light   
  • High sound and light emitting crackers   
  • Crackers using ash as dessicant or filler material   
  • Crackers with charcoal beyond limits specified by PESO

SPARKING ILL-HEALTH

  • Highly toxic heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, lead, manganese, zinc, sodium and potassium make up crackers.   
  • In air, these can trigger asthma attacks, cause severe headache, respiratory problems, and contribute to chronic cough

BREATHTAKING FESTIVAL

  • WHO listed 14 Indian cities, including Delhi, in its list of world’s Top 15 cities with dirtiest air.  
  • On Oct 9, 2017: SC suspended licences of all cracker sellers in Delhi for a month. However, many purchased crackers illegally or brought out old stocks.  
  • AQI on Tuesday in Delhi measured at 253, more than six times the WHO safe maximum

WHAT SC SAID

  • All crackers emitting over 50dB noise, smoke, and white sparkle are banned.   
  • Low emission ‘green’ firecrackers permitted   
  • Fireworks allowed between 8 pm to 10 pm at designated community spots Delhi-NCR  
  • Clamp on e-commerce websites on sale of illegal firecrackers  
  • Station House Officers to monitor  celebrations in their area

PAST FIZZLE

  • In 2005, SC said fireworks must be evaluated on the basis of chemical composition, not just noise.  
  • PESO set guidelines but covered only 4 of 40 notified categories of explosives.   
  • Took three years to come up with guidelines for four categories

GREENSPEAK

One decision to allow sale, use of firecrackers, while half of our country turns into a gas chamber, will kill toddlers, children and elderly — Vimlendu Jha, Environmentalist 

This should have come earlier because manufacturers are ready with all kinds of firecrackers and it will be very hard to stop them — Sunil Dahiya, Greenpeace