Bombay HC reduces time for bursting firecrackers by 2 hours

In light of the air pollution situation, the Bombay High Court revised its previous directive on Friday, allowing the bursting of firecrackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm during Diwali.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice G S Kulkarni had on November 6 permitted the bursting of firecrackers for three hours, between 7 pm and 10 pm, within the limits of all municipal authorities in Maharashtra.

During a hearing on Friday, the bench noted that Mumbai was witnessing a decline in the bursting of firecrackers. Let’s not become Delhi. Let’s remain Mumbaikars, chief justice Upadhyaya said. The bench said there are some critical areas of the city where the air quality index (AQI) remains poor.

We are in an emergent and drastic situation. A lot of efforts have been taken, but maybe something more needs to be done, the court said. The bench said it was modifying its order of November 6. The time to burst crackers shall be limited from 8 pm to 10 pm, it said.

Considering the prevalent situation, it does not deem it appropriate to modify another direction in its November 6 order which had banned the entry of vehicles transporting debris in the city but permitted vehicles carrying construction materials to ply if they were fully covered, the bench said.

All other directions of the November 6 order shall continue to operate till November 19, it said. After November 19, concerned municipal corporations shall decide whether vehicles carrying debris should be allowed after considering the AQI, the court said.

Is there any study as to what is the nature of this pollution is it only dust or is there any chemical component in it? Because we are seeing many hospitals flooded with patients with respiratory illness, the court said. The bench commented that this was because of the spells of rain that some parts of the city received earlier this week.

Thanks to the rains, CJ Upadhyaya said. The court also noted that all that the government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been doing is fine and good enough. But you are not doing any favour on anyone. That is your duty, it added.