As the legal sale of green firecrackers opened on Saturday, crowds thronged markets across Delhi-NCR, examining and bargaining, reviving a pre-Diwali ritual that had been paused in recent years due to the ban. However, conventional crackers—far more numerous and easily available than the green ones—were being sold freely across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurgaon, in violation of Supreme Court orders.
Rampant violations across NCR
A ground check by TOI reporters across the NCR found certified green crackers—identified by QR codes with licensing details—available in main markets. But banned conventional crackers, often disguised with green labels and fake QR codes, were also being sold openly. Many highly polluting varieties, such as rockets and bombs, were on display without even attempting a “green” label. Roadside stalls did not have green crackers.
At Delhi’s Old Lajpat Rai Market, Bhagirath Palace, Dariba Kalan, and Sadar Bazaar, sellers managed both crowds and illicit trade deftly. Crackers were hidden under makeshift covers to avoid detection, and code words like “bachchon ka” (for kids) and “bada” (big) were used to distinguish between green and conventional crackers. Delhi had issued 168 licences for the sale of green crackers.
Vendors use fake labels
Some vendors claimed to sell only permitted varieties, while others openly mentioned “special” stocks, referring to banned ones. “You’ll only find the ones labelled green near the gate. If you go deeper into the market, you will get all kinds of crackers there,” a seller in Old Lajpat Rai Market said. Several stalls placed rockets and flowerpots prominently, stamped with fake green logos.
Dealers said online trade in conventional crackers had been active for days, with sales through social media and home delivery. Shoppers, largely unconcerned about green certification, focused on variety and price. Many left markets with cartons and suitcases full of “sutli bombs” and “chatar patar.”
Parmjeet Singh Pamma, president of the Sadar Bazar Bari Market Traders’ Association, said they were helping police trace illegal sellers. “We have been actively assisting police in tracking down illegal sellers and have deployed our own vehicles for inspections,” he said.
A 28-year-old resident of Ramesh Nagar shopping in Bhagirath Palace said, “I don’t think the ban should have been lifted. Delhi’s pollution is horrible. But I like celebrating the festival with my kids.”
A Delhi government official said enforcement teams were on the ground. “Delhi govt has deployed 33 teams led by SDMs across the city to ensure strict compliance with Supreme Court guidelines. These teams have been conducting regular inspections in markets and other public areas to monitor violations,” the official said.
Fake ‘green’ crackers in Noida & Ghaziabad
In Noida’s Atta Market, utensil-seller-turned-firecracker-vendor Nagendra Kumar admitted that most “green” stocks were fake. “Can anyone manufacture special formula green crackers within a week?” he asked, pointing out that although his stock carried the ‘CSIR-NEERI-India’ logo, there were no QR codes. “I paid the required fees for this stall,” he added.
In Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram, roadside shops openly offered conventional crackers. Saffiuddin, a trader, claimed his stock was green-certified and sourced from Tamil Nadu, but many products lacked QR codes. “It’s up to you to check the veracity of the items you are buying. We have been told these are green crackers by the trader who supplied these to us,” said Shahbaz, another street-side seller.
Buyer Neha Agrawal, shopping for her children, said, “What I’m looking for is crackers that are good and cheap. If I get a box of branded flowerpots for Rs 350 and another that costs merely Rs 150, I’ll prefer to buy an equal quantity of both.”
Meanwhile, Ramlila grounds in Noida and Ghaziabad—earmarked for legal cracker sales—remained empty till Saturday evening. Gurdayal Singh, a fire department official at Noida’s Sector 46 Ramlila Maidan, said, “Maybe, the contractor will get the grounds ready by night. Only then will the shops be set up from Sunday morning.”
Rajeev Narain Mishra, additional CP (law and order), Noida, said strict monitoring was underway. “Yes, there were some sellers who were found to be selling illegal crackers. More than 40kg of illegal crackers were seized by the Sector 20 police station team. All our personnels are working to ensure there is no violation of the court’s orders,” he said.
Discreet sales in Gurgaon
Gurgaon’s markets mirrored the trend, though traditional crackers were sold more discreetly and at higher prices in areas like Sector 46, Palam Vihar, and Old Gurgaon. With no temporary licences issued this year due to short notice and lack of applications, vendors hid their stock among other goods and sold only to trusted customers. “I did not want to take a chance. So, I sold traditional crackers only to those who are known to us and those who specifically asked for it,” a shopkeeper in Sector 46 said.
Authorities in Gurgaon pledged action. Deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav announced the formation of enforcement teams to ensure only green crackers were sold and urged the public to report violations.
Brijesh Goyal, chairperson of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), said illegal sales had hurt legitimate traders. “While all traders under us are licensed, many others had procured crackers illegally earlier because they weren’t optimistic after such a long-standing ban. With more time to obtain licences and source crackers legally, this could have been avoided,” he said.
(With inputs from TOI)
Rampant violations across NCR
A ground check by TOI reporters across the NCR found certified green crackers—identified by QR codes with licensing details—available in main markets. But banned conventional crackers, often disguised with green labels and fake QR codes, were also being sold openly. Many highly polluting varieties, such as rockets and bombs, were on display without even attempting a “green” label. Roadside stalls did not have green crackers.
At Delhi’s Old Lajpat Rai Market, Bhagirath Palace, Dariba Kalan, and Sadar Bazaar, sellers managed both crowds and illicit trade deftly. Crackers were hidden under makeshift covers to avoid detection, and code words like “bachchon ka” (for kids) and “bada” (big) were used to distinguish between green and conventional crackers. Delhi had issued 168 licences for the sale of green crackers.
Vendors use fake labels
Some vendors claimed to sell only permitted varieties, while others openly mentioned “special” stocks, referring to banned ones. “You’ll only find the ones labelled green near the gate. If you go deeper into the market, you will get all kinds of crackers there,” a seller in Old Lajpat Rai Market said. Several stalls placed rockets and flowerpots prominently, stamped with fake green logos.
Dealers said online trade in conventional crackers had been active for days, with sales through social media and home delivery. Shoppers, largely unconcerned about green certification, focused on variety and price. Many left markets with cartons and suitcases full of “sutli bombs” and “chatar patar.”
Parmjeet Singh Pamma, president of the Sadar Bazar Bari Market Traders’ Association, said they were helping police trace illegal sellers. “We have been actively assisting police in tracking down illegal sellers and have deployed our own vehicles for inspections,” he said.
A 28-year-old resident of Ramesh Nagar shopping in Bhagirath Palace said, “I don’t think the ban should have been lifted. Delhi’s pollution is horrible. But I like celebrating the festival with my kids.”
A Delhi government official said enforcement teams were on the ground. “Delhi govt has deployed 33 teams led by SDMs across the city to ensure strict compliance with Supreme Court guidelines. These teams have been conducting regular inspections in markets and other public areas to monitor violations,” the official said.
Fake ‘green’ crackers in Noida & Ghaziabad
In Noida’s Atta Market, utensil-seller-turned-firecracker-vendor Nagendra Kumar admitted that most “green” stocks were fake. “Can anyone manufacture special formula green crackers within a week?” he asked, pointing out that although his stock carried the ‘CSIR-NEERI-India’ logo, there were no QR codes. “I paid the required fees for this stall,” he added.
In Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram, roadside shops openly offered conventional crackers. Saffiuddin, a trader, claimed his stock was green-certified and sourced from Tamil Nadu, but many products lacked QR codes. “It’s up to you to check the veracity of the items you are buying. We have been told these are green crackers by the trader who supplied these to us,” said Shahbaz, another street-side seller.
Buyer Neha Agrawal, shopping for her children, said, “What I’m looking for is crackers that are good and cheap. If I get a box of branded flowerpots for Rs 350 and another that costs merely Rs 150, I’ll prefer to buy an equal quantity of both.”
Meanwhile, Ramlila grounds in Noida and Ghaziabad—earmarked for legal cracker sales—remained empty till Saturday evening. Gurdayal Singh, a fire department official at Noida’s Sector 46 Ramlila Maidan, said, “Maybe, the contractor will get the grounds ready by night. Only then will the shops be set up from Sunday morning.”
Rajeev Narain Mishra, additional CP (law and order), Noida, said strict monitoring was underway. “Yes, there were some sellers who were found to be selling illegal crackers. More than 40kg of illegal crackers were seized by the Sector 20 police station team. All our personnels are working to ensure there is no violation of the court’s orders,” he said.
Discreet sales in Gurgaon
Gurgaon’s markets mirrored the trend, though traditional crackers were sold more discreetly and at higher prices in areas like Sector 46, Palam Vihar, and Old Gurgaon. With no temporary licences issued this year due to short notice and lack of applications, vendors hid their stock among other goods and sold only to trusted customers. “I did not want to take a chance. So, I sold traditional crackers only to those who are known to us and those who specifically asked for it,” a shopkeeper in Sector 46 said.
Authorities in Gurgaon pledged action. Deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav announced the formation of enforcement teams to ensure only green crackers were sold and urged the public to report violations.
Brijesh Goyal, chairperson of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), said illegal sales had hurt legitimate traders. “While all traders under us are licensed, many others had procured crackers illegally earlier because they weren’t optimistic after such a long-standing ban. With more time to obtain licences and source crackers legally, this could have been avoided,” he said.
(With inputs from TOI)
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