Mumbai, Oct 26 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday emphasised the need for fresh, clean air for Mumbaikars and urged celebrities to raise awareness voluntarily.
While authorities initially delayed in implementing earlier orders passed by HC to curb air and noise pollution, effective steps seem to have been taken in the run-up to Diwali, a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale said.
“The wheels of the official machinery turned too slowly for compliance. Mumbaikars must have fresh and good air to breathe,” the court remarked.
The HC was hearing a bunch of petitions raising concerns on deteriorating air quality in the city and issues of noise pollution during festivals.
Expressing concern over the increasing toxicity and haze in the city, the court clarified that it was not opposed to festivals but wanted celebrations to be conducted responsibly.
“We have absolutely nothing against festivals being celebrated. We just feel people should have a sense of responsibility to the environment,” it said.
The court had, on the last hearing, asked the authorities to consider roping in celebrities and social media influencers to raise awareness among the public.
Additional government pleader Jyoti Chavan on Monday informed the bench that it was difficult to rope in celebrities at “high costs” to spread awareness as the same would have to be paid from the public exchequer.
The bench noted that it was “at pains” to hear this as it expected celebrities “to have a sense of belonging and they would come forward voluntarily”.
The court also pointed towards the enforcement of noise pollution rules in slum pockets of the city, where the use of firecrackers and loudspeakers goes unchecked.
It directed the BMC commissioner, MPCB chief and Mumbai police commissioner to coordinate with the chief executive officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and local municipal corporators to strengthen awareness and enforcement at the grassroots level.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on November 25. PTI SP BNM
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