Bombay High Court Dismisses Volcano Blame for City Air Pollution

The Bombay High Court refuted claims that volcanic ash from an Ethiopian eruption is responsible for air pollution in the metropolis. Addressing ongoing concerns about the city's air quality, which remains poor, the court emphasized that pollution existed prior to the volcanic event, questioning effective remedial measures.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed claims by authorities that air pollution in the city is due to ash clouds stemming from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia. The court highlighted that the metropolis has been grappling with poor air quality long before the eruption.

Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad reviewed multiple pleas from 2023 concerning the city's air pollution. Petitioners' senior counsels, Darius Khambata and Janak Dwarkadas, pointed out alarming AQI figures consistently above 300 this month.

Although Additional Government Pleader Jyoti Chavan linked the recent surge in pollution to the volcanic activity, the court dismissed this argument, emphasizing prevailing poor visibility conditions. The bench urged exploration of effective measures, comparing the situation to alarming AQI levels in Delhi, and set further hearings for Friday.

(With inputs from agencies.)