Mumbai Pollution: 78% of Families Report at Least One Member Affected by Poor Air Quality and Related Ailments

This situation of air pollution has persisted since the end of the monsoon and the early winter in October. As Mumbaikars choke, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has awakened to the fact that over 6,000 construction sites in Mumbai are the prime polluters. On October 20, the BMC ordered a series of measures to control this, including the use of anti-smog guns, sprinklers at building sites, special squads to catch violators, and the daily cleaning of 650 kilometres of all major roads with recycled water.

A LocalCircles survey among 7,000 respondents revealed that 78% of families in Mumbai have at least one person suffering from air pollution-related ailments. 44% of them experienced burning eyes, and 85% blame construction sites, while 62% point to vehicular emissions as the cause.

Experts at ASAR Social Impact Advisors noted that according to IQAir, last week, Delhi was the most polluted city in India, followed by Jaipur, Mumbai, and Nagpur, all falling in the 'unhealthy' air quality index (AQI). Delhi topped the world rankings, and Mumbai stood at the sixth spot. Currently, Mumbai's AQI hovers around 125-169, with towns in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region falling in the range of 180, Pune at 165, Nagpur in poor AQI at 200, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar at 150, and Nashik around 162.

The primary culprits for air pollution remain the same: vehicular emissions, industrial activity, construction sites, waste burning, agricultural residues, and certain natural factors like limited wind movement that trap pollutants owing to geographical features, compounding the problem.

In response to the recent crackdown on construction sites in Mumbai, Maharashtra Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant questioned why only private developers were blamed for air pollution when massive infrastructure projects like metros and the coastal road are ongoing.

NGO Waatavaran's Founder Bhagwan Keshbhat commended the BMC's new guidelines to rein in pollution from construction and demolition waste. However, he stressed the importance of adhering to these guidelines scrupulously to ensure that Mumbai thrives not only economically but also environmentally.

Leena Buddhe, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development in Nagpur, suggested moving beyond quick fixes to strategic measures, including bolstering public transport, finding solutions to emissions from thermal power plants, regulating industrial emissions, controlling dust from metros or road construction projects, and promoting green spaces for a cleaner and healthier future for Nagpur.

The experts warned that the air pollution crisis is not just about safeguarding the environment but is also linked to the health and well-being of the citizens. They emphasised the importance of cleaner air and a more sustainable future for generations to come, achieved through the cooperation of all stakeholders.

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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.