India, Oct. 22 -- On Diwali night, Delhi saw the Supreme Court's curbs on firecracker use reduced to little more than a formality. Despite Delhi Police's tall claims of "maximum deployment" and "strict enforcement," the city erupted in explosions and light shows well past the 10pm deadline, with the revelry and pollution stretching into the early hours of Tuesday - and again later that evening.

The Supreme Court had allowed the sale of only NEERI-certified green crackers for three days, from October 18 to 20, and limited their use to two one-hour windows - from 6 to 7 am and 8 to 10 pm on October 19 and 20. The Delhi Police had announced large-scale enforcement plans, with personnel stationed in neighbourhoods, markets, and public areas ...