Minister Ramalinga Reddy has instructed additional chief secretary to write to the police commissioner and every district commissioner across Karnataka, setting out guidelines for them to enforce during Diwali.

With just a week left for Deepavali, Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday announced that firecrackers will be permitted across Karnataka only between 8 pm and 10 pm, aligning with Supreme Court directives .

Reddy has also pushed for certified green crackers amid mounting air quality concerns and instructed the additional chief secretary to write to the police commissioner and every district commissioner across the state, setting out guidelines for them to enforce.

The Supreme Court has recently rooted for a balanced approach in using firecrackers, saying that it would neither impose a complete ban on firecrackers nor allow their unrestricted use.…