As the festive spirit of Diwali approaches, the city witnessed a shift towards eco-friendly celebrations, with green crackers making their appearance in markets across the city. These environmentally conscious alternatives, designed to reduce air and noise pollution, are being hailed as a game changer in the pursuit of a safer and greener festival. The ‘Green Crackers’ which was invented by CSIR-NEERI in 2018, is yet to get popularity among citizens. However, this year, the markets have ample stock of green crackers and people are also buying them for better environment. Despite all that, the sale of traditional firecrackers are still in demand and the sale is also very high as compare to the green firecrackers. Dealers, looking to cater to a segment of customers who prefer the nostalgia and excitement of conventional fireworks, often engage in covert sales. Local shops have stocked their shelves with a vibrant array of green crackers, offering consumers a guilt-free way to celebrate.

 

“We have seen a growing demand for these products,” said Vikas Chorge, firework dealer to The Hitavada. “People are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of traditional crackers and are eager to make a responsible choice,” he added. Green Crackers, developed by, The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), use alternatives such as Potassium Nitrate and Aluminium instead of Magnesium and Barium, with fewer raw materials and smaller shells than conventional crackers. “I know many people who still want the loud bangs and bright lights of traditional crackers,” shared a local vendor on the condition of anonymity. “They come to me asking for them, and I cannot turn away business, especially during the festive season,” said the vendor. Despite availability of eco-friendly fire crackers in the market, the use of traditional ones are still a matter of concern for air and noise pollution.

 

ir pollution during winter season is always on the higher side and with arrival of Diwali the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Nagpur has already crossed the ‘Poor’ mark. Hema Deshpande, Regional Officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Nagpur said, “We have recently tested all types of firecrackers available in the market and none of them crossed the permissible limit. Our teams are monitoring the manufacturing units situated in and around city to check the raw material they are using for making of fire crackers.” While asked her about the promoting use of green crackers in the market, Deshpande said, “Green fire crackers are a good alternative to the traditional ones. However, the local bodies should promote it in their jurisdiction for better environment.”