India, Oct. 26 -- The Bombay High Court has questioned the use of public money to pay celebrities for environmental awareness campaigns, observing that prominent personalities who have built their lives and careers in Mumbai should voluntarily contribute to protecting the city's environment.

A division bench of Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Dr Neela Gokhale made the observations while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) concerning noise and air pollution caused by loudspeakers, high-powered music systems, laser lights and firecrackers during public festivities and processions across Maharashtra.

The bench indicated that awareness initiatives should not become a means of spending taxpayers' money on personalities who dem...