Chandigarh Administration allows only green crackers on festive days of Dasehra, Diwali, Gurpurb

Chandigarh, October 3

In order to reduce air pollution, the UT Administration has decided to allow the use of only eco-friendly green crackers during the coming festivals of Dasehra, Diwali and Gurpurb.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit. The residents will now be able to burst green crackers within the stipulated time. The use of green crackers will be allowed on Diwali from 8 pm to 10 pm, on Dasehra during the burning of effigies and on Gurpurb from 4 am to 5 am and from 9 pm to 10 pm.

Time period for fireworks

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The use of green crackers will be allowed on Diwali from 8 pm to 10 pm, on Dasehra during the burning of effigies and on Gurpurb from 4 am to 5 am and from 9 pm to 10 pm.

The Supreme Court, vide its orders dated October 23, 2018, had allowed the sale of green crackers with directions that on Diwali or on any other festival such as Gurpurb, etc. fireworks would be held from 8 pm to 10 pm only.

Further, the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi, vide its orders dated December 1, 2020, allowed restricted use of crackers in cities/towns where air quality was moderate or poor. It also allowed use of only green crackers and that too for not more than two hours.

Green crackers have been developed by the National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a subsidiary of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). These eco-friendly green firecrackers do not have chemicals that are harmful to environment and release water vapours or air as dust suppressant. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation has approved these crackers based on factors such as causing less pollution, noise, etc.

Also, green crackers do not have aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate or carbon, whereas the traditional ones have hazardous barium nitrate, causing heavy smoke. Also, green crackers emit 100-110 decibels of sound against 160 decibels by the traditional crackers, which is 30% lower.

After enforcing a ban on fireworks for two years, the UT Administration had last year allowed the use of green crackers during the festivals. Owing to the pandemic, the administration had imposed a complete ban on sale and bursting of firecrackers as a containment measure to prevent the risk of spread of the virus in 2020 and 2021.