In a move to combat worsening air pollution and address the declining air quality in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court issued a series of directions. The High Court permitted the bursting of firecrackers during a restricted window of 3 hours on Diwali, from 7 pm to 10 pm. Additionally, all construction activities within the capital city of Maharashtra were ordered to be halted until Diwali.
The decision was taken by a division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Girish Kulkarni during a Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation focusing on the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai. The High Court emphasized the need for immediate measures to tackle the rising air pollution and suggested that the state government needed to make a crucial choice.
“We have to make a choice. Either we have a disease-free environment or we burn firecrackers and celebrate the festival. The state government will have to take a call. We cannot even walk on the footpath…With the entire city being affected in this manner, the state government will have to take a decision. We can’t depend only on nature,” the Bombay High Court remarked, as quoted by Livelaw.
Concerns have been mounting over the deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI) in Mumbai. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had previously issued directives to companies such as Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Tata Power, and others, requiring them to reduce their production by 50 percent with the aim of curbing pollution.
Furthermore, the Bombay High Court indicated that it would contemplate the possibility of banning the transportation of construction materials. The judges of the Bombay HC bench stated, “On the next date (Friday), if the air quality is not reduced, the court may consider banning construction materials from going in and out,” as reported by Livelaw.
This series of measures aims to mitigate the adverse effects of air pollution in Mumbai, particularly during the festive season, and promote a healthier and cleaner environment for the city’s residents.
