The Bombay High Court has urged celebrities to voluntarily support an awareness campaign against air pollution in Mumbai without charging the government, as the city faces worsening air-quality concerns around Diwali and the use of firecrackers.
A bench led by Justice Girish Kulkarni said celebrities who had received support and opportunities from Mumbai should contribute to the city by helping spread information about the health effects of pollution. The court said their services should be offered without any expenditure from the public treasury.
The bench also suggested that the administration could involve Marathi film and cultural personalities in the campaign. It noted that celebrities already participate in programmes organised by the Mumbai Police and said similar voluntary participation could be considered for public communication on air pollution.
The court asked elected municipal representatives to take awareness efforts into slum settlements and other neighbourhoods, where residents should be informed about the effects of polluted air. It directed the municipal commissioner and relevant officials to meet corporators and work out a more effective public-awareness campaign.
The proceedings form part of a suo motu case initiated by the High Court on pollution in Mumbai. During an earlier hearing, the court had said that the restriction on bursting firecrackers on public roads should apply throughout the year and during all festivals. It had also directed the authorities to prepare and strictly implement a standard operating procedure for pollution control.
The municipal commissioner, Mumbai Police commissioner and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officials presented the steps taken by their departments before the bench. The authorities also submitted affidavits describing measures for pollution control and their efforts to publicise them. The court said the steps presented by the three administrative heads appeared satisfactory and commendable, but stressed that their effectiveness would depend on implementation on the ground.
The government lawyer told the court that celebrities could demand fees for participating in the campaign, and that the administration had therefore not yet taken steps in that direction. In response, the bench said celebrities should come forward on their own for the public-interest effort rather than treating it as a paid engagement.
The court said announcements alone would not be sufficient to improve Mumbai’s air. It emphasised the need for administrative action, citizen participation and sustained public communication. It directed that awareness messages on the harmful effects of pollution be displayed in schools and, before festivals begin, on buses, at bus stops, in trains and at other suitable locations. The court also asked the authorities to consider using film personalities for the campaign.
The bench expressed concern that official action could remain disconnected from the conditions visible to residents and said violations of its pollution-control directions must be identified and addressed. It also called for dedicated grievance-redressal arrangements through the MPCB and police departments, including separate helpline numbers and ward-level email addresses for complaints.
The court further directed the district collector, municipal commissioner and police commissioner to appoint nodal officers for compliance with its directions and make their names public so that residents can register complaints with identifiable officials. The next stage of the case will focus on how these measures are implemented and monitored across Mumbai.
