Delhi Air Touches Very Poor; Supreme Court Allows Green Crackers For DiwaliDelhi woke up to its worst air quality since February, with average AQI crossing 300 and Jahangirpuri recording 417, marking the season's first 'very poor' level. On the same day, the Supreme Court permitted the use of green crackers in Delhi NCR for Diwali on November 7 and 8 within designated morning and night time slots, barring areas within 300 metres of hospitals, schools, and silent zones before reinstating the ban on November 9.
The report charts a 10-year timeline of shifting judicial directives, beginning with a 2015 petition by three children. Between 2016 and 2025, authorities alternated repeatedly between total bans and permissions for green crackers, even as enforcement remained a persistent challenge.
The analysis notes that crackers add to ongoing pollution from vehicles, dust, and stubble burning, pointing out that past bans failed to halt firecracker bursting while green cracker mandates struggled with on-ground verification and market availability.