Mumbai, Oct. 15 -- With several major festivals approaching, Awaaz Foundation, a nonprofit, on Wednesday wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the presence of potentially hazardous chemicals in green firecrackers on sale in the city. In the letter, environmental activist and Awaaz Foundation founder Sumaira Abdulali said the nonprofit had procured 17 varieties of firecrackers from Mohammed Ali Road and Kurla on October 9-10 and had them tested. The reports revealed significant quantities of barium in crackers which were labelled 'green' or sustainable, it said. Barium content was as high as 27.405% in a product named 'Serpent Egg Big' by Sri Patrakali Paper Caps, while in 'Pooja Plain' by Sriram Sparkelers, barium content was 13.613%. Other samples, including 'Leo' by Jai Durga Sparkles and 'Color Koti' by Vinayaga Sonny, recorded 9.941% and 8.74% barium respectively. Barium, an earth metal, has been flagged by the Supreme Court as hazardous and was banned for use in firecrackers. Of the 17 samples tested, four didn't mention the chemical composition of the firecracker, and five did not carry QR codes. Out of the 12 products which carried QR codes, four had fake QR codes, as revealed via the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) app, which provides details about certified firecrackers. Eleven of the products also did not carry permissible noise-level limits on their packaging. "Disclosing all is mandated by the law," Abdulali told Hindustan Times. Referring to the presence of barium and other hazardous components in the crackers, she said, "Allowing firecrackers containing toxic substances to be sold and then passing on the burden to citizens instead of regulatory authorities is not fair. The police should take charge of the situation and ensure that such potentially poisonous crackers are not sold." In the letter, the activist referred to the Mumbai police order prohibiting the use of firecrackers in public spaces till December 4, and urged the government to enforce restrictions at every stage, from distribution and sale to end-use. She also called for stricter scrutiny of licensed outlets to prevent the sale of crackers falsely marketed as green. The letter also sought restrictions on loudspeakers and laser lights during upcoming festivals, citing concerns over noise and air pollution. While Fadnavis did not respond to requests for comment from HT, he replied to Abdulali's mail, saying the contents had been forwarded to the home department 'for appropriate action'....