The sale and purchase of firecrackers has been banned in order to combat air pollution this Diwali season. Some state governments have published rules and guidelines for burning fireworks.
Here’s the list of states that have prohibited bursting firecrackers:
Delhi
The storage, sale, and use of all firecrackers in the capital city are prohibited by an order issued by the Delhi government until January 1, 2023. On Thursday, the Supreme Court declined to grant an immediate hearing to a petition challenging the strict order issued by the state administration.
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The petitioners said that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's whole ban violates Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal rulings, which never called for such a broad restriction.
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Punjab
To keep the festival’s spirit, the Punjab government on Wednesday announced that bursting firecrackers will be allowed for 2 hours from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali. The manufacturing, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of joined firecrackers are prohibited in the state, according to Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, the state's minister of environment, science, and technology.
Only green firecrackers will be allowed for sale through authorised dealers. The minister added that in addition to Diwali, November 8—the Guru Nanak Dev's "Prakash Purab"—will also allow for one hour of cracker-bursting between 4 and 5 in the morning and 9 to 10 in the evening. Additionally, from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am on Christmas and New Year's Eve, they will be permitted for 35 minutes each.
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Haryana
All types of firecrackers, with the exception of green crackers, are now prohibited from production, sale, or use, according to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), which issued the ban on Monday. According to the order, a number of events that took place over the winter months made Haryana's air pollution worse.
West Bengal
According to the Calcutta High Court's order, the West Bengal government will only allow green fireworks to be used during the Kali Puja on October 24 and will abide by the recommendations of two central bodies, according to minister Manas Bhunia on Thursday.
The Calcutta High Court ruled that during the celebration, no pyrotechnics other than green crackers with QR codes could be imported or sold in the state.
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Tamil Nadu
Continuing with the same trend, the Tamil Nadu government has twice approved the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali. The permitted time period in the morning is 6 am to 7 am and, in the evening is 7pm to 8pm. People are advised not to burst joined crackers and firecrackers in quiet places like hospitals, schools, courts, etc. by the state's pollution control board.
