The Maharashtra government has stepped up enforcement against air pollution in Mumbai, with more than 1,000 construction sites receiving stop-work notices for breaching environmental regulations. State Environment Minister Pankaja Munde informed the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly that strict action was taken between October 2025 and January 2026 under the “Clean Air” campaign.
In a written response on Air Quality Index (AQI) levels, the minister stated that authorities issued 1,981 show-cause notices and 1,047 stop-work orders during the four months. She added that out of 2,224 active construction sites in the city, 1,952—about 88%—had installed low-cost air quality monitoring sensors by January, indicating a stronger push for tech-enabled oversight. However, 678 projects were directed to suspend operations on January 16 alone for failing to comply with sensor requirements.
Dismissing concerns about a widespread public health emergency linked to air pollution, Munde cited reports from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. These reports indicated no recorded adverse health impacts among vulnerable populations, including children and senior citizens, even as AQI levels fluctuated between the ‘satisfactory’ and ‘moderate’ categories.
“We are following a strict escalation matrix for violators. Construction projects that fail to follow dust-mitigation guidelines are first issued an intimation, followed by a show-cause notice, and then a stop-work order if non-compliance continues,” Munde said.
According to the minister, AQI readings during the review period largely remained within the ‘satisfactory’ (51–100) and ‘moderate’ (101–200) brackets.
Enforcement measures also included action against illegal debris transport. The BMC’s 25 ward-level flying squads imposed fines exceeding Rs 1.21 lakh between October and January. Additionally, to address dust pollution, authorities deployed 126 water tankers and 25 misting machines, washing nearly 14,408 kilometres of city roads.
Source: Awaz (The Voice)
