Bombay High Court considers firecracker ban and noise limits

The Bombay High Court is considering a ban on firecrackers on public roads across Maharashtra to combat air and noise pollution during festival seasons. A division bench comprising Justices GS Kulkarni and Neela G K Gokhale took suo motu cognisance of the issue, noting that celebrations should not come at the expense of public health or the legal rights of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups like students and senior citizens.

The court expressed concern over extreme noise levels, which have been recorded reaching up to 106 decibels. While current laws allow extended music hours until midnight on certain festival days, the bench questioned the logic of such permissions when standard limits typically end at 10:00 pm.

To address the issue, the court directed police to use decibel meters for on-site measurements and to confiscate equipment that violates prescribed norms. The bench also criticized existing enforcement, noting that minor fines often act as de facto permission to break the law, and emphasized that authorities must take preventive action rather than responding to delayed complaints.