Mumbai: With the rains retreating and air pollution beginning to rise, the BMC is shifting into a ward-by-ward pollution-control mode. Each civic ward has been directed to identify at least 10 hotspots and assign officers to monitor corrective action.
Potential hotspots include major construction and redevelopment projects, demolition sites, debris dumping areas, open waste burning and traffic-congestion zones. Ward teams have also been told to inspect construction sites regularly.
Construction dust under scrutiny
Demolition sites are expected to use barricading, cover debris and carry out misting to control dust. Contractors and developers are also responsible for cleaning adjoining roads where their work contributes to dust accumulation.
The approach is important because citywide AQI averages can hide neighbourhood-level pollution. A construction-heavy locality can experience much worse particulate exposure than another area several kilometres away.
Enforcement is the real test
Identifying hotspots is only the first step. The effectiveness of the plan will depend on inspections, documented violations and timely corrective action. Publicly accessible ward-level information could also help residents understand why air quality deteriorates locally.
Source: The Indian Express. Follow air-pollution coverage on NewsNationOnline.
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