The Bombay High Court (HC) on Friday modified its earlier order and said firecrackers can be burst only between 8 pm and 10 pm during Diwali in view of the air pollution situation. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice GS Kulkarni had on November 6 permitted the bursting of firecrackers for three hours, between 7 pm and 10 pm, within the limits of all municipal authorities in Maharashtra.

During a hearing on Friday, the bench noted that Mumbai was witnessing a decline in the bursting of firecrackers. “Let’s not become Delhi. Let’s remain Mumbaikars,” Chief Justice Upadhyaya said. The bench said there are some critical areas of the city where the air quality index (AQI) remains poor. “We are in an emergent and drastic situation. A lot of efforts have been taken, but maybe something more needs to be done,” the court said.