Mumbai: The BMC has made it mandatory for all construction and infrastructure sites in the city to erect 35-foot-high iron sheet enclosures and anti-smog guns within a month and sprinkler systems in 15 days. They would also have to install a separate air quality index (AQI) measurement system at the sites. An immediate stop work notice will be issued to the violators, warned BMC administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal on Friday.
The city has been witnessing poor air quality for the past few days. It was also observed that on some days, the pollution level in Mumbai has surpassed Delhi. Taking serious note of it, the chief minister's office (CMO) instructed the civic authorities to implement immediate measures. Accordingly, an urgent meeting was held in the BMC headquarters on Friday afternoon.
Measures at infra sites
As per the fresh guidelines by the BMC that have to be implemented from October 23, all the construction work undertaken by the Metro, the roads department and other government agencies should enclose their construction sites and provide sprinkler systems and anti-smog guns. Screens should be provided from all sides and water sprinklers to be used to settle dust. Any construction work like grinding and cutting of construction materials should be carried out in enclosed premises.
For construction sites
Any construction site having an area of one acre or above should have an iron sheet enclosure of 35 feet high on all sides. For the area less than one acre, the iron sheet enclosure should be of 25 feet. Also, the entire building should be covered with green cloth/jute sheet/tarpaulin to ensure that no dust spreads during the construction activity. “Around 50 squads in 24 administrative wards will conduct a surprise visit at all the construction sites daily to ensure compliance of the above instructions. These squads will do video-recording where violations are observed and will issue stop work notices at the site,” said Chahal.
Registration of vehicles will be revoked...
The vehicles transporting debris should be covered properly with tarpaulin sheets and should not carry more than the designated weight. Tires of all such vehicles should be cleaned. Squads of Transport Commissioners will check if any vehicles are plying beyond their designated service life, without proper PUC or overloading and take stringent penal action against the defaulters.
To check pollution in refineries:
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and BMC will depute experts to verify the level of pollution caused due to refineries, Tata Power Plant and RCF and check their installations for their pollution control measures. If any violations are observed, stringent action will be taken against the offenders.
In a meeting, Chahal said, “The Central and state governments have also taken note of rising pollution levels and have been instructed to implement immediate measures. Dust is a major factor in the increase in air pollution. So there is a need to take urgent measures with coordination among all the government agencies.” The meeting was attended by principal secretary of CMO Vikas Kharge, principal secretary of environment and climate change Pravin Darade, member secretary of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Avinash Dhakne, chief executive officer of MHADA (Mumbai Board) Milind Borikar, all additional municipal commissioners, representative of MMRDA and developers associations.
