‘Protect our children, don’t let them suffer in silence’: mothers in Delhi

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Few days before Diwali, as grey skies grow heavier and AQI levels creep toward the “severe” category, a new debate has reignited in Delhi — one that pits tradition against survival. On October 10, the Supreme Court hinted that it may relax the year-round ban on firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region “on a trial basis.” The move, the court said, was aimed at finding a “balanced approach,” much like its 2018 Arjun Gopal verdict, which had restricted conventional firecrackers and permitted only “green” ones with reduced emissions.

However, for thousands of mothers across Delhi, Gurugram, and Noida—who have watched their children grow up coughing through the winters—the suggestion goes against their lived experience. Many mothers the Patriot spoke to said the