Mumbai's Air Quality Crisis Prompts Civic Action
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has taken decisive action against air pollution by issuing stop-work notices to 53 construction sites across the city. This move comes as Mumbai continues to grapple with deteriorating air quality levels that have consistently remained above 300 AQI this month.
Court Dismisses Volcanic Ash Excuse
The Bombay High Court rejected arguments blaming the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia for Mumbai's poor air quality. A bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad observed that air pollution has been a persistent problem long before the recent volcanic activity. "Even before this eruption, if one stepped out, visibility was poor beyond 500 metres," the court noted during hearings on multiple petitions concerning the city's air pollution crisis.
Comprehensive Pollution Control Measures
Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Joshi has directed that all air pollution guidelines must be strictly enforced, including the mandatory installation and operation of AQI monitoring sensors at construction sites. The civic body revealed that 662 sensor systems have already been installed across Mumbai, with 251 more in the process of installation. However, 117 systems were found inactive during recent inspections.
Joshi warned that stringent action will be taken through the 95 ward-level flying squads if any AQI monitoring system is found non-functional. The BMC has been actively monitoring compliance with 28 guidelines issued last October to control construction-related dust pollution.
The crackdown has been particularly intense in specific wards: 17 sites in Siddharth Nagar (G-South ward), 5 in Mazgaon (E ward), and 31 in Malad West (P-North ward) have received stop-work notices as of November 26.
Political leaders have weighed in on the crisis, with Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora describing Mumbai's air pollution as "a public health emergency" and calling for a nationwide consensus against air pollution. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the current administration of prioritizing builders over public health.
Beyond construction sites, the BMC is addressing multiple pollution sources. The civic body reported that out of 593 bakeries in Mumbai, 209 already use clean fuel, while 57 have recently transitioned to cleaner alternatives. Additional measures include introducing electric buses, scientific management of construction debris, and using water sprinklers to control road dust.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on Friday as the city seeks effective solutions to match the urgency of Delhi's air pollution situation, which the High Court referenced during proceedings.
