Air quality in MMR poorer than in city

Data also shows that on an average, five of the nine corporations recorded higher PM 2.5 levels compared to Mumbai during this period

Mumbai: While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is pulling out all stops to improve air quality in the city, data shows that at least five of nine corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) encountered higher PM 2.5 (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 measured as micrograms per cubic metres or ug/m3) levels than Mumbai on 25 out of the past 54 days.

Mumbai, India - Nov. 22, 2023: Mumbai's iconic twin tower tardeo visible blur in the hazy weather in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Data also shows that on an average, five of the nine corporations recorded higher PM 2.5 levels compared to Mumbai during this period. These corporations included Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhayandar, Bhiwandi, Badlapur and Ulhasnagar. Corporations whose average PM 2.5 levels were less than Mumbai were Vasai-Virar, Thane, Kalyan, and Belapur. The data was taken from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) website and compiled by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

On November 8, when Mumbai’s PM 2.5 level was 41ug/m3, Ulhasnagar was at 95ug/m3, Badlapur 93ug/m3, Bhiwandi and Mira Bhayandar both at 67ug/m3 each, Navi Mumbai at 48ug/m3, Thane at 58ug/m3, Belapur 44ug/m3 and Virar at 49ug/m3. The 24-hour average permissible limit for PM2.5 is 60ug/m3 as per CPCB and 10ug/m3 as per the World Health Organisation.

Sunil Dahiya, analyst, CREA, said, “It is evident from the data that it’s not just Mumbai which is polluted but all cities surrounding it. In fact, many of them are more polluted than Mumbai. Air pollution problems in MMR can be solved only if systematic action to reduce emission load across sectors and geographies are taken at an air-shed level. We need to talk about the pollution problems in these towns and cities similar to Mumbai and Delhi, so that the polluters and authorities can be held accountable.”

On November 23, HT had reported that only one out of nearly 4,000 construction sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region had issued a stop work notices for violating pollution mitigation measures. The site was located within Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation limits. This was in sharp contrast to 527 sites in Mumbai, which were served with stop work notices by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Rakesh Kumar, former director of NEERI, said, “The cities in MMR region are an airshed, which is to say that the patterns of air quality are similar over the seasons. Efforts on reducing air pollution need to be combined from all cities to have an overall effect.”

He added that the sources of pollution in these cities comprised unregulated construction and bad roads. “Places like Ulhasnagar are landlocked and have high population and traffic densities, along with industries nearby. Mumbai, on the other hand, is better regulated and has the advantage of sea breeze,” said Kumar.