Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has turned down a request from bakery owners for more time to shift from coal and wood to cleaner fuels. The court upheld the July 8 deadline set in a January 2025 notice, stressing that public health and a clean environment outweigh the business concerns of bakery owners.
A division bench of Justices Shree Chandrashekhar and Aarti Sathe ruled that the right to a clean environment under Article 21 of the Constitution cannot be compromised. “The risk of potential harm to human health would tilt the balance in favour of the larger public interest,” the order stated.
The matter began as a public interest litigation in 2023 on air pollution in Mumbai. The Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation had earlier issued notices requiring bakeries to stop using coal and wood. Around 750 bakeries operate within Mumbai and nearly 2,000 in the metropolitan region, many of them family-run businesses with a long cultural history.
The applicants argued that the January 2025 order would force them into major structural changes and disrupt their businesses. They requested either withdrawal of the notice or a one-year extension, citing the need for piped natural gas connections. The court dismissed their plea, noting that six months had already been given and further delay was not acceptable.
The ruling means bakeries must now adopt alternatives such as CNG, gas, or green fuels by July 8. Failure to comply could invite enforcement action from civic authorities. It is pertinent to note that a majority of these bakeries belong to the Muslim community in Mumbai.
