BMC issues pollution control guidelines as air quality worsens in Mumbai

BMC issued pollution control guidelines as the air quality in the city worsened and entered the ‘poor’ category.

The Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) on Friday issued pollution control guidelines as the air quality in the city worsened and entered the ‘poor’ category. Suggesting pollution control measures, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal asked the people of the city to stop construction as they are going on at a whopping 6,000 sites currently - a big contributor to air pollution in Mumbai.

Overall air quality in Mumbai is in the 'poor' category (PTI)

The suggestions were made after Chahal held a meeting with all the stakeholders in view of the alarming air pollution levels in the city.

BMC's list of pollution control guidelines:

1. Compulsory use of 35-feet high iron sheet enclosures around construction sites and covering under-construction buildings with green cloth or jute sheets on all sides.
2. Sprinkler systems are to be provided at all construction sites within 15 days and anti-smog guns are to be provided within 30 days.
3. Vehicles transporting construction debris to be covered properly with tarpaulin sheets, the BMC said.
4. According to a BMC release, the civic body will be operating anti-smog guns on 50 to 60 major roads.
5. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the BMC would depute experts to verify the level of pollution caused by refineries in the city, the Tata Power plant, and the RCF plant. “Random samples shall be collected by the experts from these installations on a regular basis and they shall be chemically analysed to ensure that no pollution is caused by these plants,” the release said.

According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index was recorded above 200 around 6 am on Saturday - Bandra saw an AQI of 210, Malad of 229, while Borivali and Worli were at 144.

Notably, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

(With inputs from PTI)