Bombay High Court Refutes Maharashtra’s Blame on Ethiopian Volcanic Ash for Pollution

The Bombay High Court has rejected the Maharashtra government’s assertion that the worsening air quality in Mumbai and other cities was the result of volcanic ash clouds drifting from Ethiopia. Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad stated that visibility in Mumbai was already poor before the volcanic eruption. Maharashtra’s representative, advocate Jyoti Chavan, mentioned during the hearing that the eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia had affected the air quality in the state, with some areas of Mumbai experiencing AQI levels exceeding 300. However, the Chief Justice disagreed, pointing out that visibility issues existed prior to the volcanic event. The High Court was examining a petition on rising pollution levels in Mumbai. The court-appointed amicus curiae, Dairus Khambata, highlighted the increasing AQI levels in the city, urging urgent attention to the matter.