Don't Waste Money, Celebs Must Do Anti-Fireworks Campaign For Free: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court said on Monday that Bollywood celebrities should not be paid with public money to participate in awareness campaigns against air and noise pollution caused by firecrackers.

During a hearing on Mumbai's rising air pollution and the use of firecrackers during Navratri, a division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale were displeased after being informed that celebrities charge hefty fees for participating in such campaigns.

"If celebrities are not willing to come forward for free, there is no need to approach them. If they charge a fee, it is a completely wrong approach. They have lived in this city and received a lot from it. If they feel a sense of belonging to the city, they must come forward to give something back. Do not waste public money on this," Justice Kulkarni observed.

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The bench also questioned why celebrities who attend the annual Mumbai Police event 'Umang' could not spare 15 minutes for a social cause. It suggested approaching Marathi actors, if necessary, given that they agree to participate in the campaign without a fee.

Additional Government Pleader Jyoti Chavan informed the court that some Bollywood celebrities had already appealed to people through Instagram not to burst firecrackers, to which the court said they should also be willing to participate in the government's awareness campaign free of cost.

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Meanwhile, the court appreciated the efforts of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to raise awareness against firecrackers, including advertisements in newspapers, television, radio and social media, as well as an oath administered to school students urging them not to burst firecrackers.

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The court also took note of the BMC's proposal to set up a helpline number, 1916, for complaints related to the issue.

However, the bench stressed that the awareness campaign should not be limited to one day and must continue consistently. It also called for special awareness drives in slum areas.

"We are not against slum dwellers, but they burst firecrackers even until 2 am. Take the help of corporators and prominent citizens to create awareness there," Justice Kulkarni directed.