Diwali 2023: Ban on burning of firecrackers and construction due to Mumbai air pollution, big order of Bombay High Court

Before the festival of lights Diwali, the poison dissolved in the air is becoming a cause of concern. It is becoming difficult to breathe due to poor air quality in the country's financial capital Mumbai. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the Bombay High Court has taken some strict decisions to maintain good air quality. According to reports, the court has ordered to stop all construction work in Mumbai till Diwali. Besides, the High Court has also fixed the time limit for bursting firecrackers in Mumbai on the occasion of Diwali.

Actually, according to media reports, Mumbai is in the headlines due to continuously deteriorating air quality and increasing respiratory diseases. On Monday, the Bombay High Court intervened on the issue. The High Court took suo motu cognizance of the city's air pollution levels. In order to improve air quality, issued instructions to stop all construction activities in Mumbai city till Diwali, which is celebrated on November 12.

The High Court said, "People's lives are more important than development work. If construction is stopped for a few days, the sky will not fall." According to the media report on this big order of the court, the aim of the High Court's decision is to curb air pollution and improve the air quality of Mumbai i.e. Air Quality Index (AQI).

The High Court has issued an ultimatum to the state government to take steps to control air pollution and improve the Air Quality Index (AQI). The court sternly said that if these measures are not effective by the next hearing, the High Court may also consider imposing a ban on transportation of construction materials in Mumbai.

Regarding pollution caused by Diwali fireworks, the court said that firecrackers will be burst only between 7 pm and 10 pm. This will limit the role of firecrackers in air pollution. The Chief Justice, leading the bench, commented, "We propose to put it on hold till Friday. Let's see if it makes any difference. If it does, we will either continue it or allow full compliance." "

Regarding transportation of construction material, the Chief Justice said, "As far as transportation of construction material is concerned, there is nothing till Friday." This decision comes as a response to the growing air pollution problem in Mumbai. According to the report of news agency IANS, 78 percent of the families in Mumbai have said that at least one member has a respiratory disease. Seven thousand people responded to the survey. 44 percent people have experienced eye irritation.

Carbon emissions from construction work and vehicles are being counted among the main reasons for increasing air pollution. In view of the worrying air quality, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken several steps to tackle air pollution. This includes anti-smog guns, sprinklers at construction sites and deployment of special squads to enforce pollution control measures. BMC has also started daily cleaning of 650 km long major roads of the city with recycled water.

According to media reports, experts believe that Mumbai's air quality remains worrying since the end of monsoon and the beginning of winter in October. Poor air quality was also reported in other cities of Maharashtra including Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad and Nashik. The Maharashtra government is under attack from critics for its failure to curb the problem of air pollution in big cities.