Citizens, environmentalists and residents demand action on Mumbai’s worsening air

Mumbai citizens and activists met to address air pollution, emphasizing urgent action, health risks, and bureaucratic delays in the MPCB

Mumbai: Troubled by the worsening air pollution in Mumbai, citizens, civil society members, and environmental groups convened on Friday evening at the YMCA Hall in Grant Road to discuss solutions to this pressing issue. Although the meeting did not yield a definitive resolution, a consensus emerged: immediate and concerted efforts are crucial.

Air quality has deteriorated in Mumbai. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

Battling bureaucratic delays

Ravi Andhale, regional officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), shed light on the board’s limited capacity. “The MPCB has only seven to eight technical staff to address air pollution, but at least 30 more are needed,” he said during the event organised by the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL). His remarks were echoed by Debi Goenka, founder of the Conservation Action Trust (CAT), who criticised the delay in filling the MPCB’s over 1,100 vacant positions despite a Bombay High Court order eight months ago. “The process is bogged down by bureaucracy,” Goenka said. However, Andhale reassured attendees that the High Court had now set a six-month deadline to fill the positions.

PM2.5: The invisible threat

A key focus of the discussion was the danger of PM2.5 particles—tiny pollutants that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause inflammation. “PM2.5 is primarily produced by combustion, which means the solution lies in adopting cleaner fuels,” explained Chandra Venkataraman, founding convener of climate studies at IIT Bombay. She emphasised the need for a citywide and statewide perspective, noting that up to 50% of PM2.5 in Mumbai originates from transport emissions outside the city.

Prasad Kale, senior conservation officer at CAT, highlighted the importance of an airshed approach. “Air pollution doesn’t respect boundaries,” he said, pointing out that industrial emissions from Navi Mumbai and Taloja significantly impact Mumbai’s air quality.

Speakers also raised concerns about India’s lenient air quality standards compared to global benchmarks. “The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) considers PM2.5 levels up to 40 micrograms per cubic metre safe, but the WHO recommends a limit of just 5,” said Venkataraman. “Moreover, our air quality monitoring focuses on daily averages, ignoring dangerous peak levels that affect people in real time,” added Goenka.

Health impacts

Dr Priti Meshram, head of Pulmonary Medicine at JJ Hospital, underlined the health risks posed by air pollution. “It exacerbates respiratory illnesses, contributes to heart and neurocognitive issues, and disproportionately impacts the poor, who often rely on unclean biomass fuels,” she said. Goenka called for government subsidies to facilitate the transition to cleaner fuels, arguing that the current health costs far outweigh the expense of such subsidies.

The financial burden of protective measures like air purifiers and N95 masks was another pressing concern. “These solutions are out of reach for many,” Dr Meshram noted. Sumaira Abdulali of the Awaaz Foundation offered a practical approach. “Citizens must raise their voices, file complaints, and demand changes in their immediate surroundings. This can lead to impactful results.”

Future challenges

The meeting highlighted the complexity of city’s air pollution crisis but also showcased the determination of its citizens and activists. Residents from Govandi, who successfully halted one of two Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants in their area after a two-year campaign, attended the meeting to share their experiences. Presenting evidence of persistent dust pollution, they demanded further action. Andhale assured them that new guidelines requiring RMC plants to operate in enclosed structures would be enforced within three months, though he admitted challenges in ensuring compliance.