HC Rejects Maharashtra’s Claim Linking Mumbai’s Pollution To Ethiopian Volcano, Seeks Immediate Action
HC Rejects Maharashtra’s Claim Linking Mumbai’s Pollution To Ethiopian Volcano, Seeks Immediate Action
The bench said visibility in Mumbai had dropped much before the November 23 volcanic eruption, and criticised the lack of effective pollution-control measures.
The Bombay High Court has questioned the Maharashtra government’s explanation that drifting volcanic ash from Ethiopia was responsible for Mumbai’s worsening air quality. Hearing a suo motu matter on the city’s rising pollution levels, Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad noted that visibility had already deteriorated days before the Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on November 23.
During the hearing, government counsel Jyoti Chavan argued that the ash cloud had travelled across regions, contributing to the spike in AQI levels, with some pockets of Mumbai crossing the 300 “very poor” mark. The bench, however, immediately disagreed. “No, no… that was only two days ago. Even before that, we couldn’t see beyond 500 metres,” the Chief Justice said, dismissing the state’s reasoning.
The court observed that when it first took note of the issue, Mumbai’s AQI hovered around 200, but it has since surged past 300 in several areas. Senior advocate Darius Khambata, appearing as amicus curiae, sought urgent intervention, while senior counsel Janak Dwarkadas, representing NGO Vanshakti, pressed for immediate corrective steps.
Questioning the efficacy of existing measures, the bench asked both sides to propose realistic, high-impact solutions. It also referred to Delhi’s ongoing pollution crisis, noting that outcomes from measures adopted there could offer insights into what works and what does not.
The court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to take “concrete and immediate steps” to improve air quality. BMC counsel Milind Sathe informed the bench that certain measures were already underway, but the judges said the improvements were not visible on the ground.
The matter will come up for further hearing on Friday as the court continues to monitor the city’s pollution management efforts.
