The bench found Mumbai’s AQI hovering between 150 and 200, a range health experts label unhealthy, and noted that the city’s air quality now eclipses Delhi’s during the festive period.
The court’s order specifically bans the bursting of firecrackers on public roads, streets, and footpaths, and mandates the BMC Commissioner and Mumbai Police Commissioner to submit affidavits by Oct 26 outlining actions taken to enforce the ban.
In addition to the firecracker directive, the bench instructed authorities to draft a Standard Operating Procedure for violations and to enforce a complete ban in silence zones, which include hospitals, government offices, courts, and schools.
The court also reinforced its September 22 ruling on loudspeaker use in processions, demanding that all parties display official police permission and that any breaches be met with strict penalties.
A mother in Bandra, who has asthma, told reporters that the smoke and noise have forced her to keep her apartment windows shut, a stark reminder that the city’s coastal breezes are not enough to clear the haze.
Moving forward, the Mumbai Police Commissioner has convened a meeting with senior officers from all police stations to brief them on the new restrictions, and the BMC is slated to launch a public awareness campaign by the end of the month.