New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the sale and bursting of certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period around Diwali, permitting their use between 6am and 7am and 8pm and 10pm on November 7 and 8, while making it clear that a complete ban on firecrackers will be restored from November 9. A bench of justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale said it was opting for a "regulated" approach rather than a blanket prohibition, pointing out that the complete ban imposed earlier had neither significantly improved air quality nor prevented the illegal sale and use of conventional firecrackers. It also noted that the restrictions had repeatedly been flouted, with conventional crackers being sold under the guise of green firecrackers. The court's observation is a damning indictment of Delhi Police, which has proved inadequate to the task of enforcing orders on the sale and bursting of firecrackers. "Though imposition of a blanket ban seems to be the ideal solution, we are of the opinion that this Court, at this point in time, is short of adequate data to decide whether or not a complete ban would be the best solution to solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by bursting firecrackers," noted the bench. The court said that while bursting firecrackers undoubtedly contributed to pollution, the measures undertaken by authorities, whether pursuant to judicial directions or on their own, had failed to produce the desired results. The problem, it said, lay in implementation, requiring better coordination among stakeholders and sustained monitoring beyond the festive season. "We are inclined to regulate the manufacture, storage, sale and bursting of green firecrackers, instead of maintaining the complete ban on the same, for a temporary period," it said. The court also flagged the emergence of an illegal market for conventional firecrackers despite the prohibition, observing that the complete ban was facilitating their sale while preventing consumers from purchasing legitimate green crackers and next-generation joined green crackers that had undergone testing at established facilities....