Delhi to ensure ‘green’ Diwali

New Delhi: All concerned agencies in Delhi will implement an order of the Supreme Court verdict permitting the sale and manufacture of "green" firecrackers which have low emission, a government official said Tuesday.

The apex court, besides imposing decibel limits on firecrackers that could be sold in the market across the country, in its verdict also fixed a two-hour time period from 8 pm to 10 pm for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals. 

"The SC's judgement is law of the land. Whatever duty of the Delhi government is there, concerned agencies will implement it," the official said. 

However, a senior officer said that it is difficult to categorise between "green" firecrackers and polluting firecrackers as there is no instrument to check the same. 

"As of now, several persons may have been issued licence in Delhi and they may have stored sufficient stock of firecrackers. 

In this situation, authorities will face some problems in identifying 'green' firecrackers," the officer said. 

To curb pollution in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), the Supreme Court directed the Centre, Delhi government and the state governments of NCR to permit community fire-cracking (for Diwali and other festivals), wherever it could be done.