Markets across the city saw huge crowds of customers navigating and choosing firecrackers as three-day sale of green crackers began on Saturday. Vendors in markets such as Sadar Bazaar, Jama Masjid, and Shakti Nagar said they started selling firecrackers as early as 6am.
The Supreme Court on October 15 relaxed the blanket ban on fireworks in Delhi and NCR and opened a narrow window for regulated celebrations. The apex court allowed the sale of green crackers approved by the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) from October 18 to 20. The crackers are allowed to be bursted only on October 19 and 20, between 6am and 7am, and 8pm and 10pm.
However, buyers seemed unbothered of the crackers being green, neither are the timings being followed. While the court only allowed cracker bursting on Sunday and Monday, loud noises of celebrations have already started filling the air days head.
Nearly six vendors in the Jama Masjid market said they went out of stock within 12 hours of sale. “We started selling at 6 in the morning and have exhausted almost all the stock,” said the owner of Ajit Fireworks in the narrow lanes of the market.
HT, on a visit to the market, found nearly 15 people standing infront of the owner’s counter, being asked to return the next morning when the stocks will be refilled.
With the rush just two days ahead of Diwali and higher prices of the firecrackers, a few buyers, after waiting for more than 30 minutes, turned to street vendors who have been selling conventional crackers way before the ban on sale was lifted.
Majestic Fireworks, one of the oldest firecracker shops in Jama Masjid’s market, finally has all its shelves stacked with crackers. HT, on a previous visit, had found empty shelves as the owner waited for the ban to be lifted. On day one of the sale, the owner said he has sold to hundreds of customers.
“We could not find time to eat today. Customers have been coming endlessly from different parts of Delhi since morning,” said the owner.
While some customers complained that the crackers sold by vendors are way more expensive than what street vendors are selling, owners said green crackers are relatively more priced than the others.
“I bought the same crackers at around ₹150 last year, now they are charging ₹300 for it,” said a 22-year-old buyer.
Another customer complained, “The ban has been removed, but prices are very high. I thought I’d buy crackers worth ₹1,000 for my children, but here one box itself is around ₹500-600.”
In another narrow lane close to the Chandni Chowk market, a shop with a banner “King of Green Crackers” was packed with customers.
“They (owners) are saying it’s green crackers, but it’s a mix of both,” said a buyer.
Meanwhile, police said it is a challenge to check the bursting of green or banned firecrackers as there is no way of knowing once the packet is discarded.
“If they throw the package, one cannot possibly check whether they were green or banned. Also, people burst crackers on their terrace and backyards too. It’s not possible to enter people’s homes. In the previous years, we have only been able to take action on specific complaints,” an officer said.