The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the sale of certified green crackers at designated locations in Delhi-NCR ahead of Diwali, permitting people to burst them only between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm on November 7 and 8. The court clarified that the temporary relaxation would end on November 8, with the complete ban on firecrackers set to be restored from November 9.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale directed that “(the) authorities shall ensure that bursting of firecrackers is allowed only between 6 am and 7 am, and 8 pm and 10 pm on November 7 and 8.” The October 29 order — made public on Monday — also allowed the manufacture of such crackers in the region for a limited time.

The court underlined that “the complete ban on the firecrackers, as imposed earlier, shall be restored with effect from November 9.”

The ruling added that “there shall not be any bursting of fireworks within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health centres, old-age homes and any…