The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a strong warning to construction sites throughout the city to counteract the city’s increasing air pollution levels. 856 show-cause notices for non-compliance with air pollution standards were delivered to various building and infrastructure projects on 6 January. This is a component of BMC’s continuous endeavours to tackle the city’s concerning air quality levels, especially in regions where the haze is persistent.
Contractors were given 24 hours to correct their conduct or face harsh repercussions, BMC officials stressed, adding that the letters were part of a larger campaign to enforce stronger environmental standards. 462 stop-work orders were issued to noncompliant parties after this date, essentially stopping the advancement of multiple development projects throughout the city.
Road work and other infrastructure improvements were among those impacted; these had allegedly resulted in considerable pollution from dust, noise, and vibration. The BMC further pointed out that their infrastructure projects, such as cement and concrete work, were adding to the pollution, emphasising the necessity for the civic body to follow the same rules that apply to private contractors.
Notices were being given to both private developers and the BMC’s own departments involved in road building, according to a BMC official from the K East ward. Road engineers were given explicit instructions to make sure the contractors under their supervision followed air pollution control procedures.
“We must be subject to the same regulations as other agencies,” a top BMC official stated. Contractors in Andheri East, including NCC Ltd, AIC Infra (P) Ltd, and R G Shah Infratech (P) Ltd, were given a severe warning in the BMC’s show-cause notice dated January 6th for their failure to put air pollution mitigation measures in place. They had 48 hours to provide a compliance report outlining their plan of action for dealing with the infractions.
Furthermore, when the AQI scores above 200 last week, the BMC temporarily halted building on sites in high-pollution areas like Borivali East, Byculla, and Mazagaon.
However, once the air quality improved, construction on these locations was resumed on January 6. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) fell sharply from the “moderate” to the “satisfactory” category on January 6th, from 162 on January 5th. The BMC’s crackdown on building sites serves as a warning to the public and private sectors about the urgent need to comply with environmental norms, ensuring cleaner air for the city’s citizens as Mumbai continues to struggle with growing pollution levels.
Source: Urban Acres
