As AQI improves BMC allows transportation of debris and construction materials

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai has decided to allow the transportation of trucks carrying debris and construction material, following an improvement in the city's air quality index (AQI). The BMC had previously stopped transportation due to a directive from the Bombay high court. The AQI has improved from 'moderate' to 'satisfactory level' since November 19.

MUMBAI: As the air quality index (AQI) of the city levels back to ‘moderate’, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to allow the transportation of trucks carrying debris and construction material which had been stopped following a directive from the Bombay high court.

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Following the deteriorating AQI in the city, the HC on suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) had told the BMC not to allow transportation of debris and construction materials from November 6 to 19 and only allow them back in the state if the AQI improves.

“We have decided to allow transportation of construction and debris by covering them using tarpaulin on trucks as accumulated material leads to more dust,” said Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (city).

An official circular within the BMC states that the HC had directed them to impose the transportation ban longer if the air quality does not improve.

The BMC has taken over various measures to mitigate air pollution and the AQI has improved from ‘moderate’ to ‘satisfactory level’ since November 19. The AQI on November 19 was at 159 and 111 on November 20, and 129 and 120 on November 21 and 22 respectively, the note pointed out. In the meeting held on November 20 with various representatives of civic bodies, it was pointed out that the stocking of debris is hampering the progress of various infrastructure projects. Municipal commissioner I S Chahal agreed in principle to allow transportation of debris subject to strict compliance of guidelines issued, according to the note.

“Additional commissioner Ashwini Bhide was telling me that there was no place to store debris at the coastal road site. Now, the AQI in Mumbai has improved because of the measures taken by the BMC,” said Chahal. On Friday morning, Colaba’s AQI was 80 and in my bungalow on M L Dahanukar Marg, it was 94. We will also get rain over the weekend, which will improve the AQI further. If the AQI was over 200, I would not have allowed it.’’

A senior official said that assistant commissioners in charge of wards, zonal joint, and deputy commissioners, and stakeholders will have to ensure strict compliance after allowing the transportation of debris and construction material. Sources in the BMC said that there was immense pressure from builders to restart the transportation of construction and debris.

AQI at ‘moderate’

On Thursday, the air quality index (AQI) as per the 4pm bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was 137 based on 27 of 30 air quality monitoring stations. The primary pollutants were PM2.5 and PM10.

Even the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) recorded an overall AQI of Mumbai at 129, with PM2.5 as the primary pollutant.

The discrepancy is caused as SAFAR has monitoring stations at nine locations in the city while CPCB calculates the overall AQI based on 30 monitoring including those in the same locations as SAFAR. An AQI level between 101 and 200 falls under the ‘moderate’ category, and from 201-300 is categorised as ‘poor’.