India, Sept. 23 -- The Bombay High Court on Tuesday called for a complete ban on bursting firecrackers on the streets during festivities, saying crackers are a major source of noise and contribute to "toxic air pollution". The court directed the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police to strictly enforce decibel limits during religious processions and take strict action against violators.

"There are so many issues-noise pollution, air pollution, traffic congestion, etc. How do we survive in this city?" the division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale asked.

The court said there appeared to be "no control" over noise levels during religious festivals and questioned why Mumbai Police had not adopted measures similar to th...