Bursting of firecrackers permitted only for two hours in Tamil Nadu on Deepavali

The TNPCB has advised members of the public to burst firecrackers at designated common locations after obtaining permission from the district administration or local bodies, preferably through local welfare associations.

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has appealed to the public to celebrate Deepavali 2026 in an environment-friendly manner by bursting low-noise, less-polluting green firecrackers and adhering to the two-hour window permitted by the State government.

People can burst firecrackers only between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Deepavali, the TNPCB said in a statement.

The restrictions have been in place since 2018, following directions issued by the Supreme Court on October 23, 2018, in a public interest litigation seeking a ban on the manufacture and sale of firecrackers.

The court had directed manufacturers to use raw materials that would reduce emissions and manufacture green firecrackers. It had also called for public awareness campaigns on air pollution caused by firecrackers and encouraged community celebrations during designated hours.

The TNPCB cautioned that firecrackers could cause temporary or permanent hearing impairment, depending on the intensity of the noise. They also contribute to air, water and land pollution, affecting public health and the environment.

The Board has advised people to burst firecrackers at designated common locations after obtaining permission from the district administration or local bodies, preferably through local welfare associations. It has also urged the public to avoid bursting series firecrackers that generate high levels of noise.

Firecrackers should not be burst in silence zones, including areas around hospitals, schools, courts and places of worship, or near huts and other fire-prone locations, it said.