Construction sites fined ₹15L for violating pollution guidelines

The largest number of penalties were imposed in suburban wards like Ghatkopar’s N ward, Mulund’s T ward and Bhandup’s S ward, which also have the largest concentration of redevelopment projects

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recorded 258 cases across 24 wards and collected ₹15 lakh in penalties for non-adherence of air pollution mitigation guidelines at construction sites. The penalties were imposed by BMC’s solid waste management (SWM) department between November 4-14, for reasons such as for not keeping the surroundings clean, not covering dumpers properly and unauthorised dumping of debris at construction sites.

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The largest number of penalties were imposed in suburban wards like Ghatkopar’s N ward, Mulund’s T ward and Bhandup’s S ward, which also have the largest concentration of redevelopment projects, as per the civic body’s data.

“Construction activity in the city is limited as compared to the suburbs. There are numerous redevelopment projects in the eastern and western suburbs, and ₹4 lakh was collected as penalty in zone VI alone,” said an official from BMC’s SWM department.

The maximum penalty collected in Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Mulund’s T ward were ₹1.05 lakh, ₹1.6 lakh and ₹1.4 lakh, respectively. The highest penalty in Malad’s P north ward was ₹90,000, whereas in H west and H east wards, it was ₹70,000.

The penalties were levied under SWM’s “saaf angan” programme, which is applicable to construction sites with a lot of vehicular movement.

“Movement of concrete trucks and dumpers makes the whole area dirty. Once the muck dries up, there is a lot of dust in the air. The SWM staff visit these sites as per guidelines of the municipal commissioner and they impose fines wherever they find violations,” said the civic official. Nuisance detectors, mukadams and junior overseers are part of the SWM team that visits sites and collects penalties. The department also accounts for burning of garbage in housing societies.

Between November 4 and November 14, the department detected 258 instances wherein construction sites were not maintaining cleanliness and/or not covered with tarpaulin sheets. They also found some 20 cases of materials being unloaded at unauthorised sites.

The “saaf angan” programme and penal proceedings will continue, the BMC has clarified. The programme covers air pollution and dust control in government, semi-government and private constructions.

The BMC also has another special squad at the ward level, whose job is to ensure that construction sites are barricaded properly, up to the prescribed height with a green cloth. The squad issues stop-work notices and seals construction sites as a last recourse.

On October 25, the BMC had issued air pollution mitigation guidelines. These guidelines are mandatory for all construction related activities and the BMC had warned of strict action against violators.

As per the guidelines, all vehicles carrying construction materials should be fully covered (top and all sides); contractors should not carry material exceeding the weight limit in vehicles; and construction and demolition debris generated at each construction site/area should be taken to designated areas as per the Construction and Demolition Debris Management Plan of the BMC.