‘Bada pataka’ under the counter, fake green labels on display: Banned firecrackers flood Delhi markets after Supreme Court nod

Firecrackers put on display for sale ahead of Diwali celebration near Jama Masjid in New Delhi on November 2, 2026. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma Hours after the Supreme Court permitted the bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, traditional firecrackers were being openly sold, albeit discreetly, in Old Delhi’s Sadar Bazar and Jama Masjid markets. A visit by The Hindu found vendors concealing banned crackers in cartons and black polythene bags beneath displays of green-labelled fireworks, with some selling conventional crackers without the QR codes required to verify their authenticity.At least 10 vendors approached by The Hindu said traditional firecrackers, referred to in the market as “bada pataka”, were available. One vendor opened his phone to show photographs of rockets, bombs, flowerpots and ground spinners, along with their prices, and said the items selected by a customer could be brought from a nearby warehouse in “five minutes”. Published - November 02, 2026 07:19 pm IST