In a significant development, the Bombay High Court (HC) has taken a proactive stance on Mumbai's worsening air quality, initiating a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to address the city's escalating pollution crisis.
The special bench of Bombay High Court (HC) comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Girish Kulkarni has directed the Maharashtra government to form a panel to explore the feasibility of phasing out diesel and petrol vehicles stating that automobiles choking Mumbai’s roads are a major contributor to the city’s worsening air quality. For this, Maharashtra government must form a committee of experts, civil administrators, and traffic management authorities to undertake the study.
Moreover, the court also ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to ensure that city bakeries using wood and coal convert their units to run on gas or other green fuels within six months instead of the one-year deadline set by the authorities.
The bench has asked BMC and MPCB to make it mandatory to install pollution indicator devices at all construction sites.
Bakeries and similar establishments relying on wood and coal have been given six months to transition to greener fuels like CNG. Future licences for such units will only be granted if they adhere to green fuel standards.
Additionally, to tackle industrial pollution, the court ordered the MPCB to expedite a delayed third-party audit of high-pollution "red-category" industries.
This audit must now be completed within two months. Furthermore, the state government has been instructed to approve a staffing proposal for 1,310 additional MPCB posts within four weeks to enhance the agency's monitoring capacity.
Recognising vehicular emissions as a critical issue, the court called for better traffic management, particularly on the city's main thoroughfares, such as the Western and Eastern Express Highways.
Municipal authorities have been tasked with implementing measures like water sprinklers at construction sites and enforcing strict pollution control norms to minimise dust pollution.
Small and medium industries, which often operate with inadequate pollution control measures, have been directed to comply with stringent regulations or face severe consequences, including potential shutdowns.
The court posted the matter for next hearing on February 13.
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