Govt bodies differ, Centre to test green crackers afresh
The Indian government has informed the Supreme Court that it will conduct fresh tests on green firecrackers to assess the impact of barium, following conflicting reports from two government bodies. While one agency approved new formulations for commercial production, the pollution control board raised concerns over the continued use of banned barium salts.
Why it matters
This reflects the ongoing struggle to balance traditional cultural practices with environmental regulations and public health standards in India.
NEW DELHI: As two govt organisations took contradictory stands on commercial production of next-generation green firecrackers - with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-NEERI approving new formulations and Central Pollution Control Board objecting - Centre Wednesday told Supreme Court that it intended to conduct fresh tests to assess the harmful impact of the use of barium.Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati told a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Augustine George Masih that govt, after consulting stakeholders, had decided to conduct the tests in New Delhi, Bhopal, Kolkata and Chennai.Centre had asked CSIR-NEERI to develop green/low-emission fireworks - with particulate matter (PM) emission reduction of more than 50% - in association with manufacturers.
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