Is the fizz going out of Diwali? So it would appear. Crackers formed an intrinsic, perhaps the main, feature of the festival of lights. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court exploded a bigger cracker than experienced so far: it directed a ban on the manufacture, sale and use of high sound and light emitting crackers across the country.

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It further ruled that green crackers that did not come within the ambit of the ban could be used only in designated areas — strictly in NCR — and that too between 8 pm and 10 pm. These improved green crackers do not pollute and make air toxic like its traditional version.

To ensure strict compliance, SHOs are deemed nodal officers, whose job is to book rule breakers. This directive constitutes the biggest step thus far against fighting air pollution on Diwali day and is part of the ongoing judicial initiative to restore clean air.

Last year, in October, the apex court had suspended licences of all cracker sellers in Delhi for a month. Well, times have changed since 2005 when the Supreme Court had refused to impose time and space restrictions on the bursting of firecrackers, revealing how in a matter of more than a decade, air pollution has become a problem of such proportions, so as to invite direct judicial intervention.

Environmental activists have welcomed the directive, but doubt the efficacy of its implementation in North India with the wholesale markets already flooded with these crackers. They also say that the decision has come a little late in the day.

But the fact that the apex court has taken a view and issued a directive, is no small matter. Why just the ban on crackers, any law is difficult to implement in the country, but that can be hardly be a reason for not trying. Not everyone is jumping with joy at the court order though.

Firecracker manufacturers in Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi, the hub of this industry, are contemplating moving a review petition in the court. There is also the suggestion, however oblique, that the new green crackers are going to be expensive.

In addition, it would be unwise to overlook the cultural sensitivities attached to Diwali, when bursting crackers has formed an intrinsic part of the celebration. For children particularly, a part of the festival would be going away.

There appears to be no way out and the court has been even handed in observing that use of green crackers would apply to other religious festivals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed 14 Indian cities among the world’s 15 most polluted and as if to underline the point, the air quality index (AQI) in capital Delhi was measured at 253 on Tuesday, more than six times of what the WHO considers safe maximum.

Now the onus is on the law enforcers and law abiders. It would be an enormous challenge for the police to ensure compliance of the court order and a tremendous show of will power on behalf of the citizens to behave themselves. For all its good intention, the SC can at best nudge social behaviour.