India, Oct. 16 -- The Supreme Court's nod to green crackers on Diwali came on a day when five monitoring stations in Delhi recorded air quality in the 'very poor' category, with AQI levels soaring above 300.
Environmental experts have expressed concern saying that without proper enforcement and public awareness, the move could worsen Delhi's already toxic air.
Dipankar Saha, former additional director and head of Air Laboratories at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), called the ruling "rational", and said certified green crackers are a better alternative to conventional ones, which often contain toxic and even fatal substances.
However, he stressed that certification alone won't solve the problem.
"Mass awareness campaigns are ...