When and where can you buy crackers in Delhi NCR this Diwali? When can you burst crackers? After SC order, here’s all that you need to know

SALE ONLY AT SPECIFIC LOCATIONS: “The sale of these products shall be permitted only from the designated locations in the entire National Capital Region which shall be identified by the District Collectors/ Commissioners in consultation with the District Superintendent of Police and given wide publicity,” says the SC’s order.

SALE ONLY BY LICENSED TRADERS: The SC has said that the crackers shall be sold only through licensed traders, and the products they sell must only be those made by manufacturers who are registered with NEERI, and licensed by PESO.

The SC has directed that “licences of traders, expired or cancelled after the ban was introduced shall be renewed for the period stipulated by the statutory authorities.”

YOU CAN’T BUY CRACKERS ONLINE: “There shall be no sale or purchase of firecrackers through e-commerce networks and any supply of such products shall be detained and the product confiscated,” the SC has directed.

‘NON-GREEN’ CRACKERS WILL BE SEIZED: The crackers must be from the list uploaded on the website of CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), the SC has directed.

“The use of firecrackers with Barium and those not approved by the NEERI as green cracker, shall not be permitted and if found for sale or in the possession of individuals/ traders, the same shall be confiscated immediately,” says the order.

NO FIRECRACKERS FROM OUTSIDE NCR: “There shall be no firecrackers allowed into the NCR region from outside the said region,” says the SC order.

When can you burst crackers? Are there any restrictions on the kinds of crackers you can burst?

MORNING AND EVENING WINDOWS FOR BURSTING CRACKERS: The SC has directed the district administration and police to ensure that “use of firecrackers shall be confined between 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM” on two days – the day of Diwali and the day before (Chhoti Diwali, Sunday).

‘LARIS’ ARE NOT ALLOWED: “There shall be no manufacture or sale of firecrackers joined in series (laris),” says the order.

What have police and pollution authorities been told to do?

POLICE WILL KEEP A WATCH ON SALES: The SC has directed the police to constitute, in consultation with the district administration, patrolling teams to “keep a vigil on the designated locations of sale”.

The patrol teams will include officers nominated by the regional offices of State Pollution Control Boards. “The teams…shall acquaint themselves with the green cracker products as uploaded in the website of NEERI…as also the QR Codes issued to individual manufacturers,” says the order.

HEAVY PENALTY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE: “The patrol teams shall conduct regular reconnaissance in the designated sites to ensure that only the permitted products shall be sold and that too having the QR Codes issued,” says the order.

The teams have been directed to “take random samples for the purpose of analysis, which shall be transmitted to PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, under the Union Commerce Ministry)”. In case of violations, “the responsibility shall attach to those involved in manufacturing or sale of prohibited products who shall not only be penalised but also their licence/ registration from PESO or with NEERI shall stand cancelled,” says the order.

AQI WILL BE MONITORED UNTIL OCT 25: The SC has directed that “the Central Pollution Control Board, in consultation with the State Pollution Control Boards and their respective regional offices within the districts coming under the NCR shall monitor the air quality index in their respective jurisdictions…starting from 14.10.2025 till 25.10.2025”. A report must be filed to the SC, specifying the air quality of each day.

The Regional Offices of the State Pollution Control Boards have been directed to also take samples of sand and water from sites having more density of use for analysis.