Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered Mumbai police to enforce a complete ban on firecracker bursting on public roads, streets and footpaths in the city.
The decision comes after the court noted that Mumbai’s AQI has hovered between 150 and 200 in the past week, a level considered unhealthy, and that the city now surpasses Delhi in pollution during the festive season.
Justice Girish S Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale, who presided over the bench, scolded the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and BMC for failing to implement earlier court directives, including a September 22 order that required loudspeaker processions to display police permission.
The bench issued a strict directive that the BMC Commissioner and the Mumbai Police Commissioner file an affidavit by October 26 detailing enforcement of the firecracker ban, and instructed the police to convene a meeting with senior officers from all police stations to communicate the new restrictions.
A standard operating procedure (SOP) must be drafted to penalise violators, and a total ban on bursting firecrackers is now enforced within “silence zones” encompassing hospitals, schools and government offices.
The court also warned that enforcement officers would not be immune from scrutiny, highlighting the need for clear skies over the coastal city where a sea breeze should otherwise help dilute pollutants.
Moving forward, the court will review the affidavits and may impose fines or further action against the BMC and MPCB if compliance remains unsatisfactory.
Residents in South Mumbai’s Marve neighbourhood have already reported a drop in traffic noise since the ban, but many firework vendors fear loss of income.
The court’s order is expected to be a landmark step in curbing Mumbai’s rising air pollution and could set a precedent for other cities facing similar festive‑season spikes.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 12, when the court will examine the affidavits and decide whether stricter measures are required.