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Construction dust behind Mumbai’s deteriorating AQI? BMC’s 7-member panel to find ways to check air pollution

Based on the committee's report, to be submitted within 7 days, standard operating procedure for dust control will be finalised and implemented in the city from 1 April.

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New Delhi: One of the main causes for Mumbai’s steadily deteriorating air quality is large-scale development and construction work, believes the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

With this in mind, a seven-member committee has been formed to find ways to control the city’s poor air quality that has reached ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ categories on the Air Quality Index (AQI) over the course of this month, a BMC communication issued Sunday stated.

ThePrint has a copy of the statement.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautions that public health risks increase as the AQI rises. An AQI of 0-50 is good while that of 430+ is severe. There are four other categories in the middle: satisfactory, moderate poor, and very poor.

The committee formed by the BMC, headed by additional municipal commissioner Sanjeev Kumar, will submit its report within seven days. The committee also includes a nominated member from the state pollution control board and BMC officials.

On the basis of the report, the standard operating procedure (SoP) for dust control will be finalised and implemented in the city from 1 April, said the BMC release.

It added that an urgent review meeting chaired by municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal Sunday discussed an action plan to control Mumbai’s air pollution along with preparations for the coming G20 meeting to be held in the city 28-30 March.

The BMC has identified 5,000 sites in Mumbai where construction work is going on, generating alarming amounts of dust. It is in the “hands of administration” to minimise the dust generated from these locations, the statement added.

Chahal said at the meeting that in case of any violation of the SoP, the defaulters will be issued a “stop work notice” and other “stringent action” will be taken against them.

(Edited by Smriti Sinha)


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