Diwali 2019 is here and people have been thronging the market places. However, the spirit of firecrackers sellers seems to have dampened as uncertainty looms large over the sufficient availability of ‘green firecrackers’. The much talked about ‘green firecrackers’ were launched by the central government to check the menace of air pollution and maintain air quality during Diwali festivities. But, not many green crackers are available in Sadar Bazaar, which is known as the largest firecrackers wholesale market in the national capital.
Background
The Supreme Court in November 2016 took cognisance of the ever-growing menace of smog and slapped a blanket ban on selling firecrackers in Delhi. In October 2018, the apex court had ordered that green crackers would be allowed to be sold, purchased and used. On October 5, 2019, the central government launched environment-friendly firecrackers. These green firecrackers are developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories.
What are ‘green firecrackers’?
Green firecrackers have permissible sound limits as well as low emission. The ‘green crackers’ are made with the reduction in the size of shell, reduced usage of raw materials, dust suppressants. Green crackers strictly do not contain elements such as mercury, lithium, arsenic, and lead, etc.
Current market scenario
Sadar Bazaar fireworks and general traders association official stated that the number of applicants for the licences is very less this year. Earlier, the number of applicants for licence used to touch 80 but this time it is only 12. With not enough varieties of green crackers, the sale is down as traders did not want to take the risk, according to a PTI report. Only 30 manufacturers have a manufacturing licence for green crackers. However, traders were hoping that next year green crackers will be produced in large number so that availability will be sufficient. This, they said, would reduce the cost of green firecrackers, the PTI report added.