MPCB notice: Bombay High Court firecracker curbs now hold all year, at every festival

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has put out a public notice telling residents across the state about the Bombay High Court's latest directions on firecrackers. The aim is to hold down air and noise pollution, and the board wants everyone to follow the rules to the letter.

In an order dated October 15, 2026, the High Court said that the directions it gave on September 22 are not confined to the festival season. They remain in force for the whole year and for every festival. Under them, nobody may set off firecrackers on public roads, lanes, paths or footpaths. In silence zones, which take in hospitals, government offices, courts and the surroundings of schools, firecrackers are barred outright.

The directions go beyond crackers. The court has asked officials to prohibit laser lights, very bright lights and high-intensity beams at festivals and processions. Police and other authorities concerned must keep a watch on noise levels from sound systems that have been given permission, and must take action against anyone running such systems without approval or in breach of the rules. Organisers are expected to stay within the prescribed noise limits and respect the conditions attached to their permits. The court underlined that the law needs firmer enforcement so that people are shielded from excessive noise and pollution.

The notice also recalls the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Under these, setting off noisy crackers between 10 pm and 6 am is not allowed. The board asks citizens to stay within the noise limits and to pick green crackers, which are quieter and leave the air cleaner.

Those who flout the directions could face legal proceedings, the MPCB has cautioned. Depending on the case, the action could be taken under the noise rules of 2000, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Explosives Act, 1884, or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The board also pointed to the health side of the matter. Smoke and fine particles from crackers, together with other substances that may be harmful, foul the air. Children, older people and those with breathing or heart ailments are the most vulnerable.

To get the message across, the court has told the state government, municipal corporations and the MPCB to run awareness drives. These are to reach people through schools, newspapers, electronic and social media, public announcements and display boards on public transport.

Anyone who spots a suspected violation can inform the MPCB helpline or use the board's official channels. For complaints about the environment, the board has also referred people to the Maha Paryavaran app.

The MPCB said the purpose of the directions is that festivals pass in a manner that does not endanger safety, health or the right to a peaceful environment, and that celebrations should be marked calmly and with concern for nature.

One clarification matters. The directions deal with bursting crackers in the named public places and in silence zones. They should not be taken to mean a total ban on making or selling firecrackers anywhere in Maharashtra.