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Tezzbuzz Desk- The matter of approving the commercial production of next generation green firecrackers in the country has currently reached the Supreme Court. This is because two major scientific and regulatory institutions of the Central Government have given different opinions on this issue. One organization is in favor of approving these firecrackers considering them to be less polluting, while the other says that they cannot be allowed due to the presence of banned chemicals in them.

In fact, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) has said in its report that the pollution level can be reduced by 40 to 60 percent with the new formula of green firecrackers. According to the institute, the use of these firecrackers also reduces the emission of fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5) in the air. At the same time, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has objected to these formulations. The board says that barium nitrate is still being used in these new firecrackers, even though the Supreme Court has already banned the use of this chemical. In such a situation, approving these firecrackers by placing them in the category of green firecrackers would not be in accordance with the orders of the court.

Amidst the different opinions of both the institutions, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and made it clear that only the court should take the final decision on this dispute. The ministry also said that the new formulations were sent to the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO), which issued a no-objection certificate for them after examining the safety standards. (NOC) Has been released. According to the ministry, the central government had already directed CSIR-NEERI to collaborate with firecracker manufacturers to develop green crackers that can reduce pollution by more than 50 percent compared to conventional firecrackers.

In this direction, Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorous Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA) prepared new formulas using smaller quantities of barium salt/nitrate and other oxidizers. Their objective was to reduce the emission of particulate matter i.e. harmful particles present in the air by more than half. CSIR-NEERI’s test report claims that these new formula crackers have reduced PM10 and PM2.5 emissions by 45 to 60 percent. The report suggests that commercial production of less polluting flowerpot (pomegranate), phuljhadi, chakri, pencil, twinkling star and their hybrid models can be considered.

Now the decision of the Supreme Court will be important in this whole matter. The court has to decide whether to allow commercial production of these next generation green crackers amid objections raised over scientific claims of pollution reduction and use of banned chemicals. The court’s decision may impact both the availability of green crackers in the upcoming festival season and the country’s pollution control policy.