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Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a fivefold hike in penalties for violating air pollution norms, raising the minimum fine from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000.
₹10,000 to ₹50,000. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)” title=”The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a fivefold hike in penalties for violating air pollution norms, raising the minimum fine from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)” />“Currently, ₹10,000 is the lowest penalty issued. We have proposed increasing it to ₹50,000 to act as a stronger deterrent against construction sites that cause air pollution,” said deputy municipal commissioner (environment and climate change)Avinash Kate, on Thursday.
The proposal has been submitted to civic commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagrani for approval. According to Kate, higher penalties are intended to ensure stricter compliance with pollution control norms at construction sites across the city.
Currently, the BMC is monitoring 1,954 ongoing private construction sites through 94 flying squads. Each squad includes assistant engineers, nuisance detectors and a sub-engineer from the environment and climate change department.
On Thursday, the civic body issued show-cause notices to 20 construction sites and stop-work notices to 18 sites. In addition, the BMC also deployed deep-cleaning misting machines at 27 locations, and water tankers were used to wash roads at 41 locations.
Between December 1 and 16 this year, the BMC had already issued 353 show-cause notices and 121 stop-work notices against polluting sites. According to the civic body, these measures have led to a significant improvement in air quality compared to the beginning of December last year. During the same period last year, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) ranged between 158 and 167, while this year it remained between 105 and 113.
Thursday’s AQI
On Thursday the city’s air quality remained in the moderate category, with an AQI of 138, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Among monitoring stations, Mindspace in Malad West recorded an AQI of 192, followed by Kherwadi in Bandra East at 162 and Ghatkopar at 156. Byculla and Deonar each recorded an AQI of 149, while Malad West stood at 148.
The Bandra-Kurla Complex and Navy Nagar–Colaba recorded an AQI of 144 each, followed by Chembur at 143. Colaba logged an AQI of 139, Siddharth Nagar–Worli at 135, Kandivali West at 130, Shivaji Nagar at 126 and Chakala–Andheri East at 121.
Relatively cleaner air was reported in Borivali East with an AQI of 110, Mazgaon at 108 and Sewri at 104, while Mulund West recorded the lowest AQI at 64.
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