The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed special flying squads in its every ward to ensure strict implementation of air pollution control measures across Mumbai, officials said on Thursday.
The squads will take action against anyone who violates the civic body’s pollution-control guidelines.
BMC has already issued a set of 28 guidelines to reduce air pollution in the city.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr Ashwini Joshi has instructed all squads to carry out strict action and ensure that all rules are followed without exception.
Joshi also said that if the Air Quality Index (AQI) stays above 200 for consecutive days, construction sites and industries responsible for pollution in that area will be shut down under the Graded Response Action Plan – Level 4 (GRAP-4).
The BMC, under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, is carrying out several measures to improve air quality, officials said, adding that these include shifting bakeries and crematoriums to cleaner fuels, increasing the number of electric buses, using misting machines for dust control, and managing construction debris in a scientific manner.
The guidelines issued on October 15, 2024 include fencing around construction sites, covering them with green cloth, regular water sprinkling, proper storage and transport of debris, installing air-quality monitoring systems and exhaust equipment at construction sites, and ensuring dust control mechanisms are in place. All guidelines are available on the BMC’s official website.
Each ward-level flying squad will include two engineers and one police officer, along with a vehicle equipped with a Vehicle Tracking and Monitoring System (VTMS). They will monitor pollution sources, prevent burning of waste and wood, check dust-control measures at construction sites, and ensure the functioning of air-quality sensors and LED displays.
The BMC has appealed to citizens to avoid activities that add to air pollution and to cooperate with ongoing efforts to keep Mumbai’s air clean.
The air quality in parts of city continues to remain a major concern despite a recent dip in temperatures.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) in the ‘moderate’ category, measuring 143 on Thursday morning.
The haze observed across the city and suburbs once again underscored the growing challenge of deteriorating air quality during the winter months.
