MUMBAI, 22 SEPTEMBER, 2024 (GPN): Last year a seven member core committee of senior civic officials released the ‘Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan’ to curb the ever increasing pollution with the rising infrastructure in Mumbai. On World Environment Day, 5 June 2024 BMC unveiled its first Climate Budget Report for the 2024-25 financial year in Mumbai. A substantial Rs. 10,225 crore was allocated by BMC for climate-related initiatives in Mumbai, which is approx 32% of the city’s total capital expenditure budget pie of Rs. 31,775 crore
An additional Rs. 2,163.8 crore earmarked for projects that align with key elements of the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP). These projects focus on areas like landscaping, LED street lighting, the construction of sewage treatment plants, and the promotion of rooftop solar panels in new buildings. These initiatives collectively aim to propel Mumbai towards achieving its ambitious goal of net-zero emissions.
Considering last year’s experience when the city’s air quality had drastically plummeted, the civic authorities has started gearing up now to combat the choking issue because of growth in the infrastructure in the metro city.
During a recent meeting with real estate developers, BMC has instructed them to comply with 27 guidelines aimed at reducing pollution. Additionally, special squads in all 24 administrative wards will be activated for daily inspections of construction sites.
Following some modifications, the guidelines became mandatory for the builder’s and developer’s, private construction sites and infrastructure projects run by other government agencies. Around 96 squads at the ward-level inspected their areas and issued notices to construction sites that failed to comply with the mitigation measures.
According to the new specs and guidelines, construction and infrastructure sites must erect metal sheets around their periphery, cover all buildings under construction with green cloth, jute sheets or tarpaulin and ensure continuous spraying of water during demolition. Additionally, CCTV cameras installations are required.
The construction sites that fail to comply with the norms will be served notices and site work will be halted or sealed until correctional measures are taken. Every morning, the BMC washes the city’s busiest roads so that dust particles get settled.
“Regular inspections and actions against violators have conveyed a strong message to real estate developers, leading many to adopt measures to prevent pollution,” said a BMC official. While the air quality index was good during the monsoon, trends over the past few years indicate that it deteriorates from October to January. Concerted efforts are being taken to reduce pollution and maintain air quality, the official added.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi (IAS) said, “The guidelines are already in place. We just need to implement them proactively. We have instructed developers to start mitigation measures at their construction sites. Areas identified as heat hotspots, where temperatures are two–three degrees Celsius higher, need to be localised with a specific plan.”
Last week The municipal sewage testing laboratory run by BMC was accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).The BMC operates sewage treatment plants at Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Malad, Ghatkopar, and Bhandup. These facilities treat approximately 2,464 million litres of sewage at a primary level before it is released into creeks, rivers, and the Arabian Sea.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ashwini Joshi told GPN, “The NABL accreditation significantly boosts the credibility of the BMC’s sewage treatment laboratory reports, making them reliable both nationally and internationally. This accreditation guarantees that our reports on recycled water from sewage treatment projects are officially validated. Furthermore, the laboratory’s enhanced testing capacity is anticipated to generate additional revenue.”
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