HC takes suo moto cognisance of city’s poor AQI, seeks authorities’ response

Expressing concern over the poor air quality index, the petitioners have sought HC directions to BMC to immediately undertake a tree plantation drive. The plea has also sought an inquiry into the functioning of BMC’s garden department and action against those found indulging in wrongdoings

The Bombay high court on Tuesday took suo moto cognisance of the deteriorating air quality in the city and directed the Centre, the state, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, and the Central Pollution Control Board to file their replies by November 6.

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A division bench of chief justice D K Upadhyaya and justice Arif Doctor was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by three residents from Mazgaon, Virar East and Dombivali.

Expressing concern over the poor air quality index, the petitioners have sought HC directions to BMC to immediately undertake a tree plantation drive. The plea has also sought an inquiry into the functioning of BMC’s garden department and action against those found indulging in wrongdoings.

Chief justice Upadhyaya said, “The air quality index in the city every day is deteriorating like anything...everywhere... not in a single area in Mumbai the air quality is better.”

In their PIL filed on October 27, Amar Tike, Anand Jha and Sanjay Surve, all of whom run a campaign to enhance green cover in urban areas, highlighted how “a serious health crisis is looming over the residents of Mumbai city and suburbs” because of the extremely poor air quality.

The petitioners also relied on BMC’s environment status report that said the city had 33.9 lakh registered vehicles but only 31.6 lakh trees. The report, the PIL said, revealed that with a population of 1.26 crore, the city had only one tree for four people against the ideal ratio of seven trees for every person.

The petitioners also referred to an HT report that pointed out that the city had lost 42.5% green cover over the last 30 years, and the loss was of around 12,446 hectares, more than the size of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Advocate Prashant Pandey from W3Legal LLP, who filed the plea on behalf of the petitioners, said HC had taken a serious note of the issue.