The Bombay High Court on Tuesday criticised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for taking down an environmental awareness video featuring actor Dia Mirza from its social media platforms following objections from Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and BJP Mumbai president Ameet Satam. Describing the decision as “unfortunate” and a “knee-jerk reaction”, the court said such actions undermined the objective of promoting environmental awareness.
A bench comprising Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) concerning increasing air and noise pollution during festivals, along with related petitions.
The judges expressed concern over the removal of the video, particularly as the campaign had been organised in accordance with the court’s directions. They suggested that the civic body restore the deleted content to “restore confidence of people in society and the Constitution”.
“What has been done should not have been done. Please put it again and restore confidence of people in society and the Constitution. These are stray thoughts of one or two persons. We cannot appreciate this,” the bench orally observed.
The court emphasised that environmental protection was a shared responsibility and should not be associated with political affiliations, caste or religious identities. It also remarked that individuals contributing their time towards public welfare should not face criticism for their participation.
The controversy began after the BMC withdrew Mirza’s video following objections from Tawde and Satam regarding her inclusion in the campaign. The civic body’s awareness initiative also featured cricketer Ajinkya Rahane and actor Madhuri Dixit.
Earlier, on October 26, the High Court had directed the BMC to involve prominent personalities in campaigns discouraging firecracker use and highlighting the health hazards of air pollution.
The bench reiterated that its pollution-control directions applied throughout the year and were intended to safeguard public health, particularly that of children and senior citizens. It also stressed the importance of enforcing nationwide guidelines on bursting green crackers during permitted hours.
The court urged the civic administration to consider restoring the removed videos, warning against allowing political disagreements to overshadow environmental concerns.
Source: The Free Press Journal
