Judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Arjun Gopal vs Union Of India dated 12/09/2017 regarding use of fireworks, sparklers and minor explosives in any form, during festivals or otherwise. Supreme Court said that a graded regulation is necessary which would eventually result in a prohibition.

Some of the directions passed by the Apex Court are the following:

• Concerned police authorities and the District Magistrates will ensure that fireworks are not burst in silence zones that is, an area at least 100 meters away from hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health-care centres, educational institutions, courts, religious places or any other area that may be declared as a silence zone by the concerned authorities.
• The Delhi Police is directed to reduce the grant of temporary licences to sell fireworks by about 50% of the number of licences granted in 2016. The number of temporary licences should be capped at 500. Similarly, the States in the NCR are restrained from granting more than 50% of the number of temporary licences granted in 2016.
• Educate school children on the health hazards and ill-effects of breathing polluted air, including air that is polluted due to fireworks.
• The interim direction issued by this Court on 31st July, 2017 prohibiting the use of compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacture of fireworks is made absolute.
• A Committee is appointed for a research study to be conducted on the impact of bursting fireworks during Dussehra and Diwali on the health of the people. Report should be submitted before 31st December, 2017.