The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged political parties and the Central government to address stubble burning and other pollution sources, arguing that firecrackers are being held solely responsible for Delhi’s poor air quality. The trade body’s intervention came in a letter dated November 10, after it estimated that firecracker sales in the capital were worth around Rs 300 crore during Diwali.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said Delhi remained a major market for firecrackers, most of which are sourced from Sivakasi and other locations. He said sales had been strong this Diwali but argued that businesses would have managed their stocks better if permissions had been granted earlier.
According to CTI, Delhi’s air quality index was between 350 and 400 on November 5, 6 and 7, before firecrackers were burst on November 8. The organisation cited these readings to argue that pollution levels were already high before Diwali and that firecrackers were not the only source of emissions.
“Firecrackers are being unfairly blamed for Delhi’s pollution,” Goyal said, according to the report. He acknowledged that firecrackers generate smoke but described their effect as temporary. CTI said the recurring deterioration in air quality between October and January should also be addressed through action on stubble burning in neighbouring states and other pollution sources.
The trade body asked political parties to work with the Central government and state authorities to find solutions to crop-residue burning. It also proposed a regulated approach to firecracker use, including fewer fireworks, designated timings and the promotion of green firecrackers instead of a complete ban.
The letter linked pollution restrictions to the financial risks faced by traders and workers in the firecracker industry. CTI claimed that around 10 lakh people across the country were associated with the sector, including manufacturers in Sivakasi and small retailers in Delhi. It said many traders invest throughout the year and depend on the 15 to 20 days around Diwali to earn their annual income.
CTI also said traders had invested in licensed stocks and green firecrackers, and that last-minute restrictions had affected their inventories and livelihoods. The organisation called for laws to be enforced equally across festivals and public occasions, while also raising concerns about the impact of restrictions on children’s celebrations.
The dispute places Delhi’s seasonal air-quality crisis within a wider enforcement question: how responsibility is divided between the capital, neighbouring states, central agencies, traders and residents. CTI asked political parties to guarantee that Delhi’s AQI would not exceed 300 between October and January if firecrackers were completely banned. It said the letter’s proposed approach was intended to combine cleaner air, business continuity, festival traditions and uniform enforcement of environmental rules.
