The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has suspended construction activities in Borivali and Byculla after the air quality index breached the 200 mark. It also imposed several restrictions under stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in these areas.
The BMC has asked real estate developers and construction agencies to take mitigation measures to fight pollution. The developers have been asked to cover the building under construction with green cloth and install at least 25 feet high sheet or metal covering around the construction project.
The developers have also been asked to undertake continuous water spraying, use a misting plant, scientifically store and transport dust, install air quality monitoring sensors, and install vehicle wheel washing facilities.
The GRAP-4 restrictions, under the winter air pollution control plan, include a complete ban on construction activities, as the air quality worsened to the 'severe' category due to adverse weather conditions.
Due to deteriorating air quality, the Stage 4 curbs had been implemented in Delhi earlier this month.
In a statement on December 30, the BMC said that it had inspected 877 construction projects and issued 'Stop Work Notices' at about 286 places so far and that this process would continue until the air quality improved.
In a 2020 study titled 'Indoor air quality among Mumbai's resettled populations: Comparing Dharavi slum to nearby rehabilitation sites', authors conducted an experimental investigation of the severity and sources of household air pollution across two low-income housing archetypes in Mumbai. They concluded that low-income housing in Mumbai experiences household air pollution that far exceeds recommended limits. This is true in both slum and rehabilitation communities, despite the use of clean-burning cooking fuels in 75–85% of the households.
While household air pollution levels varied significantly between units, resettlement dwellings frequently yielded higher HAP levels than slum households, it was found. "While we assume that infections and dubious lifestyle choices were at the root of respiratory illnesses, toxic particulate matter found in today's air pose greater harm than a cigarette," says author Terra Nova, who published a report regarding air pollution in ORF.
"During a vulnerability assessment for the Mumbai Climate Action Plan during the previous two years, the World Resources Institute India found that Deonar, Govandi, Mankhurd, and Trombay areas in M (East) ward consistently recorded the highest pollution levels, followed by Mahul, Chembur in M (West) ward, and F (North), including Antop Hill, Sion, and Ghatkopar. While particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were identified as primary pollutants, much above national and international safety standards, these showed fluctuations," reads the report.
For a densely populated city like Mumbai, air pollution is a larger threat because the density per square kilometre runs high and toxic air in one place can be a problem for a large number of people. It is important for sub-city level authorities to always stay alert to changes in pollutant strains, atmospheric composition and sources of air pollution. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has been a key driver in framing air pollution policies. While it is effective, it suffers from a lack of manpower," writes Nova.
