The Bombay High Court on Thursday, November 27, 2025, gave a sharp response to the Maharashtra government's unusual excuse for Mumbai’s poor air quality. The government had blamed the volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano for Mumbai's dirty air. But the court wasn’t convinced at all! The Bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad pointed out smartly, “That eruption happened only two days ago. Even before that, if one stepped out, visibility in Mumbai was poor beyond 500 metres.” Yes, Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been in the ‘very poor’ zone for a long time this month, sometimes shooting past 300, which experts and citizens alike find alarming. Petitioners’ senior advocates, Darius Khambata and Janak Dwarkadas, highlighted how Mumbai’s pollution is no new story. Meanwhile, the government’s additional pleader Jyoti Chavan tried to link the Ethiopian volcanic eruption on November 23 to Mumbai’s mess, citing a massive ash plume that hit the skies nearly 14 km high — affecting flights and spreading ash eastwards. But the court was unmoved and focused on the real trouble brewing in Mumbai. The judges didn’t just dismiss the volcanic ash excuse; they also expressed serious worry about the slow progress in fighting pollution, even after many warnings since October 2023. They pulled out a stunning comparison with Delhi, a city suffering from even worse air, and asked pointedly, “What steps can be taken? What has worked in Delhi?” They clearly want to see some big, practical moves from Maharashtra’s side. Advocate Milind Sathe, speaking for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), said that some action is coming up. The BMC plans to trigger the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) if AQI stays above 300 for three days straight. This plan will stop construction work — a huge source of dust pollution — along with other measures. But the court wants faster and stronger action now. In the end, the court gave a stern warning: Mumbai can’t afford to breathe this toxic air any longer! It told authorities to ramp up their fight against pollution, and it will check progress again on Friday. The message is clear: quit blaming faraway volcanoes and start cleaning Mumbai’s skies, pronto!