Hyderabad, Nov. 7 -- With Diwali a day away, buyers crowding the makeshift firecracker stalls across Hyderabad are walking away with sparklers, flower pots and rockets. Many of them, though, cannot say whether what they bought is a green cracker.

Only certified green crackers, meant to cut emissions and noise, are supposed to be sold. Many shoppers have not got the message, and higher prices mean families are buying less this year.

"Prices have gone up, so I am buying fewer crackers compared to last year," Bipin Kumar told Siasat.com. "We usually buy flower pots, sparklers and chakras because children enjoy them. I have purchased the crackers, but I am not sure whether they are green crackers or not. I am also not sure how they differ f...