Mumbai air quality dips, BMC swings into action -Governance Now

Mumbai air quality dips, BMC swings into action

Committee to draft SOPs, strict action against those violating norms

Geetanjali Minhas | March 13, 2023 | Mumbai

#Mumbai #BMC #pollution #air quality

Taking note of Mumbai’s rising air pollution and deteriorating air quality in the recent months, the BMC has attributed rising dust levels to different large-scale development and construction works combined with changes in the wind speed conditions. It has constituted a seven-member committee, which will submit its report in a week.

The committee, chaired by Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Sanjeev Kumar, will prepare SOPs to be implemented within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area, following which the civic body will start strict implementation of report findings from April 1.

BMC said in a statement, “Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has said stringent action including stopping of construction work will be taken against the violators.”

Earlier, Chahal who is also the administrator held an urgent review meeting for the same as well as for preparations for G20 meeting scheduled to be held in Mumbai at the end of March as also the progress of Mumbai Beautification project.

BMC has attributed high levels of air pollution in Mumbai city to post-Covid dust generated by large-scale construction and various development works with more than 5,000 construction sites as well as changes in the wind speed.

The committee includes deputy Municipal Commissioner (Environment), Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Infrastructure), Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), Chief Engineer (Development Planning), Executive Engineer, Satish Gite as a representative from Municipal Commissioner's office and a member nominated by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.

“Based on the report of this committee, the final Standard Operating Procedure, for dust control in the BMC area, will be finalised and implemented from 1st April, 2023. The Municipal Commissioner has also stated that in case of violation of this procedure or any rule, the concerned will be issued stop work notice and other stringent action will also be taken,” BMC said in its statement .

For the meeting of G20 Trade and Finance Group scheduled during March 28-30 in Mumbai, BMC will complete road maintenance and other necessary works on all routes. Medical facilities and emergency medical services will be made available for attending guests. Chahal has instructed inspection of all works with a mock-drill on March 25.

For the Mumbai Beautification Project, BMC said 500 works that were taken up in the first phase in December 2022 are now nearing completion and 320 works in the second phase have also started. The commissioner has instructed a review of these works by Joint Commissioners/Deputy Municipal Commissioners/ Assistant Municipal Commissioners of the respective zones/wards/ Departments to speed up and immediately complete works like beautification of electric poles and footpaths, immediately.

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