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India’s “green cracker” compromise is facing a fresh scientific and regulatory test after two government bodies took sharply different positions on whether new-generation firecrackers containing barium can be commercially manufactured.
The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it would conduct fresh tests to assess the harmful impact of barium in the new formulations. The move follows a disagreement between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), which has approved the formulations, and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which has objected to them.
The dispute has emerged over how “green” can a cracker be if it still contains barium nitrate.
What Are Green Crackers?
Green
crackers were developed as an attempt to find middle ground between India’s long-standing firecracker tradition and its worsening air-pollution problem.
CSIR-NEERI developed formulations designed to reduce particulate emissions compared with conventional fireworks. When the Centre launched the technology in 2019, it said the new formulations could bring about a 30 per cent reduction in particulate matter, while a green logo and QR-code system were introduced to help consumers distinguish certified products from conventional or counterfeit crackers.
Importantly, “green” does not mean pollution-free. The idea is to reduce emissions by changing the chemical composition and manufacturing process.
Fireworks release particulate matter and gases into the atmosphere in a very short period. Even a product that emits less pollution per unit can still contribute to a sharp deterioration in air quality when thousands or millions of crackers are burned together.
The Barium Trouble
Barium compounds have traditionally been used in fireworks, particularly to create the vivid green colour associated with many crackers. But barium nitrate has also been at the centre of India’s legal battle over firecracker pollution. The Supreme Court had earlier imposed restrictions on crackers containing barium salts and permitted only approved reduced-emission or green formulations under specified conditions.
CSIR-NEERI has approved new formulations, taking the view that the newer technology can substantially reduce emissions. CPCB, however, has raised an objection over the continued presence of barium nitrate, arguing that its use conflicts with the court’s earlier restrictions.
In other words, one side is looking at the overall emission performance of the new formulation, while the other is focusing on the presence of a chemical that has already been prohibited under the court’s framework.
That is why the Centre has now opted for fresh scientific testing rather than simply choosing one government agency over the other.
The disagreement also highlights that several different authorities are involved in regulating something as seemingly simple as a Diwali cracker.
CSIR-NEERI is the scientific and environmental research institution that developed the green-cracker technology and tests emissions.
CPCB is India’s statutory pollution-control watchdog, responsible for monitoring and enforcing pollution standards.
PESO – the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation – deals with the safety and regulation of explosives and fireworks. It has also been involved in approving the newer formulations.
The Supreme Court, meanwhile, has repeatedly stepped into the issue because firecracker use intersects with the fundamental right to breathe clean air, particularly in pollution-hit cities such as Delhi.
Clarity Ahead Of Diwali
With Diwali approaching, manufacturers need clarity on which formulations they can produce and sell. The fireworks industry, heavily concentrated in Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi, has long argued that restrictions must take into account the livelihoods dependent on the sector.
The green-cracker idea itself emerged partly from this dilemma: instead of choosing between an unrestricted fireworks market and a complete ban, India could allow cleaner alternatives under strict standards.
But the compromise works only if everyone agrees on what qualifies as “cleaner”.
The Supreme Court itself allowed limited sale and use of NEERI-approved green crackers in Delhi-NCR during Diwali in 2025, calling for a balance between festivities and environmental concerns.
The fresh testing ordered by the Centre could provide the missing clarity. More importantly, it could determine whether India’s next generation of green crackers represents a genuine technological improvement, or whether the “green” label needs another round of scientific and regulatory scrutiny.
