Mumbai: Bombay HC on Tuesday asked BMC, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to consider examining the impact of air pollution on the economy. The oral nudge came from Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad after amicus curiae (friend of court) Darius Khambata quoted former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath, who said last week that pollution is India’s biggest economic challenge, surpassing global tariffs.Khambata, who is assisting HC in a suo motu PIL hearing to tackle worsening air quality in Mumbai and adjoining areas, said Gopinath highlighted that air pollution causes 1.7 million annual deaths (18% of total) and costs India $339 billion (9.5% of its GDP). “People are dying, getting handicapped, production level is going down… Authorities keep coming with plea for time… Some shock treatment has to be given,” he said. The CJ orally told BMC and NMMC’s senior counsel, “Economic impact is also very important. Please take note of this,” adding that this aspect was not raised earlier. Khambata cited TOI’s Jan 26 report on a suggestion by Virendra Sethi, scientist and member of the HC panel on air quality, to have a dedicated force in MMR to tackle pollution. He said AQI data cited in news reports suggested that either the “authorities are not telling HC what they are doing has not worked, or they are not doing what they said on affidavit”. Anil Anturkar, senior counsel for NMMC, said the amicus spoke for all, but added that the civic body was taking action. HC suggested to the civic bodies, “Create a website and put a daily update. So AQI and every data received from control centres becomes available to everyone.” Anturkar said NMMC would get it done. Khambata and senior counsel Janak Dwarkadas for NGO Vanshakti suggested a fresh monitoring panel and the involvement of independent citizens. “Let there be compensation. All authorities must be made to pay for victims who suffer pollution-led setback. Else, there is no consequence,” said Dwarkadas.Senior counsel Ashutosh Kumbhakoni for MPCB said there are 2,178 red category (high polluters) industries —not over 7,000—they were audited from June 2024-March 2025, and the report submitted. The CJ said, “There must be a yearly audit… but it can’t be a year-long process.” Intervenor Conservation Action Trust, through environmentalist Debi Goenka, gave many suggestions. The CJ said, “We are very serious,” adding HC will pass orders after the next hearing on Thursday.
