Bombay High Court Orders Mumbai Police Chief to Brief Officers on Festive Pollution Rules
The Bombay High Court has pulled up the police for routinely violating its orders aimed at curbing pollution during the festive season. The court has asked the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, to hold a meeting with all officers-in-charge of police stations and bring its orders to their notice.
The court had earlier passed orders on obtaining permission to use music systems in processions and on burning firecrackers on busy public streets. A bench of Justice G. S. Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale said an affidavit must be placed on record by the Commissioner of Police confirming that all police station officers and the relevant police machinery have been adequately informed of the court's orders and that they will be implemented in letter and spirit.
The bench said this direction was necessary because concerned police officers are either unaware of, or have not been adequately informed of, the orders. Unless officers are duly apprised, effective implementation cannot take place, causing severe annoyance and disturbance to the public and breaching their legal rights, the court observed.
Earlier, the court had directed the Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to jointly issue notices in newspapers, electronic media, social media and other means, informing the public that burning firecrackers at public places, including streets, lanes and footpaths, should not be permitted. The notices were to inform citizens about the harmful effects of firecracker toxicity and appeal to them to refrain from burning crackers that generate noise and cause smoke and air pollution.
The bench noted that its October 15 order had imposed a total ban on bursting firecrackers on public streets and roads during festivities, and authorities were asked to take measures to prevent air and noise pollution from firecrackers, with prompt action ordered. Despite these orders, the police machinery was yet to be effective, the court found. It noted that it was not known whether the orders had been brought to the notice of the concerned police station officials, as no action was being taken on obtaining prior permission to use music systems in processions with an undertaking to comply with decibel limits, and burning of firecrackers on busy public streets was not being controlled.
Listing the proceedings on October 26, 2026, the bench asked the Municipal Commissioner and the Police Commissioner to place affidavits on record. Advocate Rajendra Desai represented the applicant, while Government Pleader Anjali Helekar represented the State. The case is titled In Re: Noise and Environmental Pollution; Public Nuisance caused by unregulated use of Music Systems with Amplifiers and Firecrackers on Public Streets During Festival (Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation No. 01 of 2026 With Interim Application (L.) No. 35677 of 2026).
Source: Verdictum