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The Bombay High Court cautioned the municipal commissioners of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai that their pay could be suspended for failing to adhere to court orders or take effective action against the worsening Air Quality Index.
The Bombay High Court on Friday sharply criticised civic bodies for their "belligerent disregard" of judicial mandates aimed at reducing air pollution. The court pointedly remarked that officials are breathing the same toxic air and do not inhabit an "alien world," warning that it may freeze the salaries of top leadership.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam cautioned the municipal commissioners of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai that their pay could be suspended for failing to adhere to court orders or to take effective action to address the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI).
"We will stop the salaries of the (civic) commissioners (for non-compliance with court orders). Take this as a warning," the high court said.
The Bombay High Court observed a persistent pattern of defiance regarding repeated instructions to control atmospheric pollutants.
‘We are all breathing the same air’
"You are not living in some alien world. We are all breathing the same air," the bench remarked.
In 2023, the court had initiated a suo motu (on its own motion) case regarding the city's rising pollution levels, issuing a series of directives to civic authorities to mitigate the crisis.
During the proceedings, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) counsel SU Kamdar argued that the body had issued "stop work" notices to various construction projects. He further noted that air quality monitors had been set up at 400 out of 600 required sites.
However, the high court bench remained unimpressed, highlighting that these measures were only implemented under judicial pressure.
"What were you doing all these years? We are not here to take stock of the situation every time. It is not the court's job to run the municipal corporation," the court emphasised.
The court has now demanded a comprehensive data report on air quality monitoring, specifically directing the BMC to provide daily sensor readings for the three-month period leading up to November 2025.
"We want the numbers. That will tell the true story," the HC stated.
The court concluded that affidavits submitted by both the BMC and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) were deficient in ward-level specifics. It noted an apparent lack of "genuine and sincere" commitment from authorities in addressing the regional air quality emergency.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on 27 January.
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