Now Reading: Supreme Court asks CPCB to consider easing firecracker noise limits for Diwali
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Supreme Court asks CPCB to consider easing firecracker noise limits for Diwali
Supreme Court asks CPCB to consider easing firecracker noise limits for Diwali
The Supreme Court on Wednesday urged the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to consider relaxing noise limit restrictions on firecrackers ahead of Diwali. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale asked the CPCB to explore whether partial relaxation for certain types of crackers is possible, with specific reference to noise limits.
"Please give some exception, we don't want to rush it up just before Diwali," the Court said. The matter is part of a 2015 case in which the Court has been passing orders imposing restrictions on firecrackers in Delhi and other north Indian states affected by air pollution between October and January.
In 2025, the top court permitted the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi and NCR for a limited period. The Court adjourned the matter after the government sought time for instructions.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Supreme Court has for years walked a tightrope between public health and cultural sentiment on firecrackers. The 2015 case that started this litigation was sparked by a plea linking firecrackers to Delhi's post-Diwali air quality crisis. The 'green cracker' compromise, allowed since 2025, was the Court's attempt at a middle path: reduced emissions but no outright ban. The new request to relax noise limits shifts the debate from pollution to noise pollution, a separate violation under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The CPCB's decision will test whether it prioritises festival compliance or regulatory consistency. The next hearing will reveal if the board recommends any change before Diwali.
Source: barandbench.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
