In a decision issued Tuesday, the Supreme Court banned the use of barium and banned chemicals in firecrackers across India, not just Delhi and NCR. When the apex court heard a plea involving firecrackers in Rajasthan, it clarified that the directions did not apply only to Delhi-NCR. The court also ordered that the state governments take appropriate steps to control air and noise pollution.

According to the court, there is no need for new directions and Rajasthan should take particular note of its previous orders. As this Court has passed several orders during the hearing of the petitions, indicating steps that can be taken to minimise and avoid air and noise pollution, no particular order will be required at this point. A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh ruled that the order would bind all states, including Rajasthan.

The Supreme Court said there is a wrong perception that it is the court’s responsibility on the issue of the environment. According to the court, pollution must be managed by everyone. The court said citizens should ensure that Diwali is celebrated in a clean, environmentally friendly manner with fewer crackers.

Before Diwali 2021, the Supreme Court passed a series of directions to ensure banned chemicals were not used in crackers. Also, the bench clarified that firecrackers are not banned in their entirety; only those firecrackers that contain barium salts are banned. Following the Supreme Court’s 2018 directions, green crackers are acceptable.

The court further said it has observed that children burst more firecrackers these days as compared to elders. It directed Rajasthan to take immediate measures to control pollution in Udaipur.

A top court ruling rejected the plea for the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers that contained barium chemicals on September 22.