Home / Environment / Supreme Court Allows Limited Green Cracker Production
Supreme Court Allows Limited Green Cracker Production
30 Sep
Summary
- Green cracker manufacturing gets conditional approval for Deepavali.
- Crackers must meet strict noise, emission, and safety standards.
- New crackers show 30% emission reduction and less waste.
On September 30, 2026, the Supreme Court approved a "limited and conditional relaxation" for the production of next-generation joined green crackers. This decision, which allows manufacturing in compliance with noise, emission, and safety requirements, comes ahead of the Deepavali festivities.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) recommended that green crackers must be made by licensed manufacturers and conform to tested and approved specifications. These include limits on noise (125 dB(AI)/145 dB(C) peak) and permissible emissions, with formulations free of banned chemicals.
CSIR-NEERI's report indicates these new crackers feature reduced shell sizes and bursting durations, resulting in a 30% emission reduction and decreased solid waste generation compared to conventional joined crackers. Further studies on barium content and dispersion of emissions in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bhopal are expected by October 15, 2026.
The court acknowledged concerns about air pollution but stated it would not impose a total ban nationwide, nor permit continuous bursting. Instead, specific time windows for cracker usage will be considered.
