Mumbai's air quality has plunged to alarming levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) entering the severe to hazardous range, crossing 326 in several areas of the city. A persistent haze and thick smog have reduced visibility, creating a public health emergency that has residents and authorities deeply concerned.
Bombay High Court Steps In, Orders Immediate Audit
Responding to the crisis, the Bombay High Court has taken decisive action. While acknowledging the need for a long-term plan, the court emphasized immediate steps to curb dust from construction sites. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad has established an independent five-member committee to audit construction sites across Mumbai and ensure compliance with pollution mitigation rules.
This panel will include a public health expert, two civil society representatives, and one official each from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The committee's findings are to be submitted, with the matter scheduled for a further hearing on December 15.
Citizens and Experts Sound the Alarm on Health Crisis
Environmentalists and doctors are raising urgent warnings about the tangible health impacts of the polluted air. Environmentalist Stalin Dayanand, whose Public Interest Litigation on pollution is before the High Court, stresses that air pollution is a silent killer. "It kills you from inside," he says, linking it to serious conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, and heart attacks. He argues that staying indoors is not a solution and calls for a systemic fight for clean air, emphasizing that development must follow regulated methods.
Local residents echo the distress. Madhu Poplai, secretary of the Pali Hill Residents Association, highlights the direct correlation with rampant redevelopment. "Everyone is suffering. Asthma and breathlessness are on the rise," she states, noting that while rules like mandating one air purifier per acre of redevelopment exist, 90 percent of developers are not following them.
Medical professionals report a spike in ailments. Dr. Priyamvada Shrirang Rane, a consulting physician, urges Mumbaikars not to ignore symptoms like prolonged cough, breathlessness, chest tightness, or headaches, advising immediate medical consultation.
Natural Defenses Ignored Amid Unprecedented Construction
Environmental activist Subhajit Mukherjee points out that Mumbai is neglecting its natural air filters—trees. He suggests simple, effective measures like sprinkling water to clean dust-coated leaves, which he says is more crucial than buying multiple air purifiers. Highlighting the scale of the problem, he references the IQAir World Air Quality Report 2024, noting that India houses 94 of the world's 100 most polluted cities.
Mukherjee also underscores the unprecedented construction boom, stating, "In the history of Mumbai, we’ve never had such sudden, massive construction everywhere." He agrees the city needs an upgrade but insists that strict adherence to rules is non-negotiable.
As Mumbai grapples with this environmental and public health challenge, the combined efforts of judicial intervention, citizen activism, and expert advice point toward a critical need for enforceable regulations and immediate mitigation steps to safeguard the city's air and the health of its millions of residents.
