BMC Issues Stop Work Notices for Pollution

Mumbai Air Pollution Control Measures and Construction Site Regulations

1. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Actions:

   • Issued ‘stop work’ notices to 53 construction sites in Mumbai for violating air pollution control guidelines.
   • Warned construction project owners of strict actions for guideline non-compliance.

2. Air Quality Monitoring:

   • BMC has installed a total of 662 sensor-based Air Quality Index (AQI) plants at various construction sites.
   • 251 additional plants are currently being installed.
   • 400 of these plants are linked to a centralized dashboard; however, 117 are currently inactive.

3. Geographical Distribution of Notices:

   • 17 in Siddharth Nagar (G South zone)
   • 5 in Mazgaon (E zone)
   • 31 in Malad (West) (P North zone)

4. Monitoring Framework:

   • BMC formed a collaborative meeting with:
     • Environment and Climate Change Department
     • Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) for dashboard development
     • 15 shortlisted vendors for AQI monitoring systems.
   • Deployment of flying squads to enforce guidelines issued on October 15, 2024, covering 28 air pollution control measures.

5. Pollution Control Guidelines:

   • Required measures include:
     • Installation of site fences and measurement systems
     • Smoke absorbers and use of green coverings for sites
     • Water spraying to control dust
     • Proper dust storage and transport methods.

6. Soft Measures:

   • BMC initiatives include:
     • Transition of bakeries and crematoriums to clean fuel.
     • Use of electric buses in public transport.
     • Projects aimed at processing construction debris.
     • Regular spraying of water on roads to suppress dust.

7. Bakeries Transition to Clean Fuel:

   • Out of 593 bakeries in Mumbai, 209 operate on clean fuel.
   • 57 bakeries have switched to cleaner fuels.
   • In the past six months, 75 bakeries initiated this switch with another 88 bakeries in the process of applying for Mahanagar Gas.

8. Statistical Overview:

   • Record of increased air pollution levels in November leading to the enforcement of ‘stop work’ notices.

9. Conclusion:

   • The BMC's comprehensive approach aims to combat air pollution through rigorous monitoring, enforcement, and transition to cleaner fuels in urban infrastructure, aligning with public health and environmental sustainability goals.