Supreme Court clarifies the nationwide ban on firecrackers containing barium beyond Delhi NCR

This decision comes as Delhi and its adjoining regions grapple with severe air pollution.

During a hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court sought the response of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) concerning stubble burning, a practice linked to declining air quality in Delhi, especially due to farm fires in states bordering the capital.

The clarification from the Supreme Court was made in response to an intervention application in an ongoing petition seeking a ban on firecrackers.

"At this juncture, no specific order will be necessary as this court in the course of hearing the petitions has passed several orders, where steps have been indicated to minimise and avoid air as well as noise pollution. Hence the said orders will bind every state in the country, including the state of Rajasthan," a bench of Justice A S Bopanna and Justice M M Sundresh said in its order Tuesday, LiveLaw reports.

"Therefore, we make it clear that the state of Rajasthan would also take note of this and take all steps to minimize air and noise pollution, not only during the festival season, but even thereafter," it said.

In September, the Supreme Court denied requests from the firecracker manufacturers' association to include barium in green crackers and to use joined crackers, reaffirming its prior ban on barium-based chemicals in firecrackers, reported LiveLaw.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) recently imposed a complete ban on firecrackers until January 1, 2024, in response to the heightened pollution levels in the capital.

While some individuals on social media have asserted that the Supreme Court imposed a nationwide "complete ban on firecrackers," the Court has clarified that its previous instructions regarding prohibited chemicals in fireworks are applicable nationwide, extending beyond Delhi.