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So When Exactly Can You Burst Crackers This Diwali? Here’s What You Need To Know

What exactly are green crackers, why is the police arresting people for bursting crackers and other key questions answered.
The Supreme Court has directed that the use of firecrackers would only be allowed from 8-10 pm on Diwali
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The Supreme Court has directed that the use of firecrackers would only be allowed from 8-10 pm on Diwali

The Supreme Court ordered last month that only 'green crackers' can be sold in the Delhi-NCR region this Diwali and firecrackers that have already been manufactured can only be sold in other parts of the country.

The apex court has further directed that the use of firecrackers would only be allowed from 8-10 pm on Diwali and banned the sale of firecrackers through e-commerce websites.

Hindustan Times reported that local police officers would be held responsible if the top court's orders are flouted.

However, after the Tamil Nadu government filed a petition urging the top court to allow bursting of firecrackers in the state on the morning of Diwali, the court had modified its order and allowed southern states to fix their own schedule, according to The Indian Express. The states have to adhere to the two-hour time limit set by the court.

Time slot in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

The Tamil Nadu government, in compliance with the Supreme Court order, had set 6-7 am and 7-8 pm as slots for bursting firecrackers on Diwali, reported PTI. A state government release also urged people to desist from burning firecrackers near hospitals and places of worship, the report added. The News Minute reported on Tuesday that over 200 people had been booked by the police for bursting crackers outside the time limit.

Meanwhile, Karnataka has chosen to follow the initial apex court order and directed all departments to ensure that firecrackers are burst only from 8-10 pm on Diwali, according to PTI. A state government release also said that the pollution control board has been asked to monitor the bursting of firecrackers.

Only 'green crackers' in Delhi

The court has clarified that only 'green crackers' can be sold in Delhi-NCR this Diwali season. 'Green crackers' do not contain "harmful chemicals" that can cause air pollution.

Dr Rakesh Kumar, director the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research's National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), told The Indian Express that the components in 'green' firecrackers are replaced with others that are "less dangerous" and "less harmful" to the atmosphere.

Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan has said that although "less-polluting" green crackers have been devised, it will not be available this Diwali, according to IANS.

A Ghazipur resident has been arrested for bursting firecrackers after his neighbour informed the Delhi Police, according to The Indian Express. The man was bursting year-old crackers. The report said that police officials and the forensic science laboratory are still mulling over how to check if those crackers were 'green' or not.

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality has deteriorated sharply ahead of Diwali and now falls in the 'severe' category. According to PTI, experts have warned that the air quality is likely to worsen further.

The Delhi Police has also seized over 640 kilograms of firecrackers from the national capital. According to ANI, 625 kilograms was seized from a shop in Sadar Bazaar.

Ahmedabad Police arrests two people for flouting SC orders

The city police is following the Supreme Court guidelines of bursting crackers from 8-10 pm. Two people have also been arrested in the city for bursting firecrackers after the 10 pm deadline, according to The Times of India.

The Ahmedabad Police, according to the report, has issued a notification permitting bursting of firecrackers only from 8-10 pm.

In case, after all this, you've decided it's best not to burst crackers, we've got you covered.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.