The air quality in Mumbai dropped to the ‘moderate’ category two days after Diwali, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 126. Specific areas in the city, such as the Bandra Kurla Complex and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, reported even higher AQI levels. The city was ranked as the 8th most polluted globally, and despite restrictions on firecracker bursting, many people defied the rules, further deteriorating the air quality. However, the overall AQI figure is an improvement from last year. The Mumbai Police took action against those violating the restrictions, with nearly 784 cases registered. Real estate developers argued that rising pollution should not be solely attributed to construction, as refineries, waste management, and power plants also significantly impact air quality. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued guidelines to curb dust and air pollution in the city. https://www.cnbctv18.com reported
The air quality in Mumbai deteriorated to the ‘moderate’ category just two days after Diwali, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 126 on Tuesday morning, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). This decline follows the Diwali celebrations, during which the city experienced a ‘poor’ air quality with an AQI of 245 on Monday.
Specific areas in Mumbai reported even higher AQI levels on Tuesday, with the Bandra Kurla Complex and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport recording AQI values of 155 and 158, respectively. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data revealed that the 24-hour AQI at 4 pm on November 13 stood at 193, categorizing it as ‘moderate’ air quality, with PM 2.5 identified as the primary pollutant.
IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, ranked Mumbai as the 8th most polluted city globally on Monday. The aftermath of Diwali festivities led to a significant increase in the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 189, shifting from the previously observed ‘satisfactory’ levels following unseasonal rainfall. Despite a Bombay High Court order restricting firecracker bursting to a two-hour window (8 pm to 10 pm) on Diwali, many people disregarded the restrictions, and firecrackers continued to be burst in various areas on Monday, further deteriorating the air quality.
However, despite the elevated AQI figure, there has been an improvement from last year’s ‘poor’ air quality levels, which reached an AQI of 305 post-Diwali.
In response to the Bombay High Court directive, the Mumbai Police remained vigilant across the city’s police stations to ensure compliance with the restrictions on firecracker bursting. According to Mid-Day, nearly 784 cases were registered, and action was taken against 806 individuals between November 10 and November 12 for violating the court order.
Despite the restrictions and appeals from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), residents in several areas, including Marine Drive, Powai, Shivaji Park, and Kandivali, continued to burst crackers, with reports of loud noise even after midnight. However, areas like Parel and Nerul (East) experienced fewer violations, as reported by the Times of India.
Challenging prevailing perceptions, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), which represents real estate developers in Mumbai, argued that attributing the rise in pollution solely to heavy construction is unfair. They highlighted that refineries, waste management, and power plants also significantly impact Mumbai’s air quality. The recent identification of the M-East ward, which includes Chembur, Mankhurd, and Deonar, as having the highest air pollution levels, underscores the diverse contributors, including power plants, refineries, and the Deonar landfill, according to a statement from the developers’ body.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had issued guidelines in October 2023 to 6,000 construction sites, covering private real estate and infrastructure projects, with the aim of reducing dust and air pollution in the city..