Bombay High Court seeks unpaid support for anti-firecracker campaign

The Bombay High Court has said celebrities could support Maharashtra’s proposed campaign against bursting firecrackers without payment, adding that the state should not spend public money to enlist public figures.

During a hearing on Monday, the court said it had been told that no Bollywood actor had come forward for the campaign. It said public figures should support society.

Actor Dia Mirza said she had never charged for public-service campaigns. “The point is, celebrities are willing to work with civil society and governments if there is a priority to solve the very solve-able issue of pollution,” she said.

Mirza said she has focused on air quality for more than a decade and posts daily AQI updates on social media. She also pointed to a lack of coordination between government agencies. The proposed campaign aims to discourage firecracker use and draw attention to pollution.