A citizen perception study on green crackers released on Thursday by a Bengal-based NGO working with the Jharkhand government to control air pollution has revealed surprisingly low level of awareness on green crackers days before Diwali.

Calcutta-based SwitchON Foundation, as part of its efforts to support the measures and actions of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) to control air pollution in the state and promote usage of green crackers had conducted the perception survey last week in four districts of capital Ranchi, Deoghar, Dhanbad and Godda and covered 75 respondents (crackers sellers) on the perception of sellers on celebrating Diwali with minimal emissions using green firecrackers as a norm for the present as well as the future.

According to the survey report, among the sellers of firecrackers, only 29 per cent were found to have heard about “green crackers” of which almost half could specify its features. Only 24 per cent of sellers were found to be selling green crackers and have allocated 22 per cent stock of overall firecrackers for the same on an average.

Only 41 per cent of the sellers of firecrackers reported sales of firecrackers going higher this year, while about 32 per cent reported it to be going down.

Interestingly, in terms of potential regarding influencing public choice for green crackers, 95 per cent of the sellers voted for largescale awareness among citizens.

“This somehow goes with the fact that not even half (40 per cent) of the respondents in Jharkhand have been found familiar with at least the name of green cracker. Continuing on the potential for influencing consumer choice, more than half of the sellers voted for better availability of green crackers at reduced price.

“However, over a third of the sellers also emphasised on government order or sanction,” said managing director of the SwitchON Foundation, Vinay Jaju.

According to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), green crackers are firecrackers made with a reduced shell size and produce 30-35 per cent fewer emissions compared to normal firecrackers.

“We are really concerned about the rise of air pollution due to firecrackers every year in Ranchi. As a part of our efforts we were really happy to be part of this drive by SwitchON as we are committed to the cause of air pollution,” said director Seven Stars Academy, Ranchi, B. Beck.

The green crackers also reportedly emit 125 decibels of sound, compared to 160 decibels emitted by non-green variants. In 2020, the National Green Tribunal banned the sale of all types of firecrackers in any district with AQI above 201.

The JSPCB has been requesting citizens to celebrate Diwali with moderation and keep anti-pollution guidelines in mind.

The JSPCB has earlier this month issued a notification based on Environment Protection Act (1986), which says anybody found bursting crackers between 10pm and 6am or within a 100m radius from silence zones is liable to prosecution.