Mumbai: 806 flouting Bombay HC’s cracker directive booked by cops

Pic/PTI

Despite the Bombay High Court (HC) restricting the window to burst firecrackers between 8 and 10 pm, the city saw a number of violations with people bursting them outside of the period. The Mumbai police registered 784 offences in 48 hours and booked 806 individuals. Of these, 734 were fined for the violation. The first night of Diwali also saw the violation of noise pollution norms.

Last week, the Bombay High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the poor Air Quality Index (AQI) in Mumbai and declared 8 to 10 pm as the window to burst crackers. The police were directed to ensure that the directives were followed and violators were booked. The police top brass had instructed local police stations to be vigilant.

However, the first day of Diwali saw violations in many parts of the city. Places such as Marine Drive, Shivaji Park, Bandra Bandstand, and beaches witnessed hordes of citizens bursting firecrackers together. This continued even after the allotted time, until the local police asked people to stop. However, many citizens did not heed the police's instructions.

"From November 10 to 12, 784 offences have been registered in which action against 806 individuals has been taken, and 734 individuals have been fined for the violations," said Mumbai police spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operation) Vishal Thakur. The Mumbai police have also informed citizens that action against violators will continue till the end of the festival.