India, Oct. 10 -- The Union government on Friday urged the Supreme Court to allow the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), subject to strict conditions and regulatory oversight.

Appearing before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted a detailed proposal aimed at striking a balance between citizens' right to celebrate festivals and the need to protect public health and the environment. The hearing before the bench is currently underway.

Under the Centre's suggestion, only green crackers approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) would be manufactured and sold, while traditio...