BMC implements GRAP-4 in most-polluted areas in Mumbai
The move follows a steady deterioration in Mumbai’s air quality through November
MUMBAI: The civic administration has begun to take emergency measures to contain Mumbai’s worsening air quality by implementing the Graded Response Action Plan-4 (GRAP-4) in the worst-affected areas in the city.
The move follows a steady deterioration in Mumbai’s air quality through November, with many pockets consistently recording “poor” on the Air Quality Index (AQI) as the city remains shrouded in a haze it can’t seem to shake off.
While Mumbai’s overall AQI was 173 on Thursday, or “moderate”, six of the 21 AQI monitoring stations recorded “poor” AQI. Pockets that have consistently registered “poor” AQI in November, and occasionally slipped into the “very poor” band (AQI of over 300), include Mazgaon, Malad and Deonar.
With GRAP-4 being implemented from Thursday, in these areas, roads will be washed, construction sites closely monitored, and polluting small-scale industries fined for air-pollution violations, among other things, according to the action plan devised by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM). The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) says GRAP-4, the most basic of four stages, will remain in force in the worst-polluted areas until air quality improves.
A civic official said 95 flying squads deployed by the BMC at the ward level inspected 70 construction sites across Mumbai. They issued stop-work notices at 53 work sites until November 26, as these sites failed to fulfil the 28-point guidelines issued by the BMC. This includes 17 construction sites in Siddharth Nagar area in ‘G’ South ward, five in Mazgaon in ‘E’ ward, and 31 in Malad west in ‘P’ North ward.
In other GRAP-4 measures, bakery owners in Mazgaon have been instructed to demolish their chimneys, marble-cutting units in Chakala in Andheri east have been told to switch to cleaner practices, while the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) will take action against polluting industries and ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in Deonar.
In addition, 450 junior supervisors from the BMC’s solid waste management department have been authorised to impose fines. “Construction and debris waste are the primary causes of PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles in the air. To clear the air of this particulate matter, major and minor roads will be cleaned, and if anyone is caught dumping debris on the streets, they will be slapped with heavy fines,” said an official. Junior supervisors will also monitor polluting activities such as burning of plastic and garbage.
Road cleaning and other dust-control measures will be particularly focused on areas were AQI numbers have been consistently poor. These are Borivali east, Malad west, Chakala in Andheri east, Deonar, Mazgaon, Navy Nagar, Mulund west and Powai.
The data that compelled the BMC to enforce GRAP-4 is as follows: According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dashboard, between November 1 and 27, Mazgaon recorded “poor” AQI on 12 days and “very poor” AQI on two days. The “poor” readings were recorded post-November 16. On Thursday, AQI spiked in Mazgaon, to 259, in the “poor” category.
Similarly, Deonar has recorded “poor” AQI for 14 days in November so far, and eight days of “moderate” AQI. Between November 13 and 27, readings were “poor” daily, except on one day. On Thursday, the AQI in Deonar was 219, or “poor”.
Malad too has been consistently recording “poor” to “very poor” air quality this month. The CPCB’s portal shows that this suburb recorded nine days of “poor” AQI and three days of “very poor” AQI in November, and nine days of “moderate” readings.
The portal also shows that between November 16 and 26, Malad recorded “poor” to “very poor” AQI consistently, with “satisfactory” air being recorded only once.
A civic official said these areas are witnessing poor air mainly due to localised factors. “In Mazgaon, bakeries are contributing to air pollution, similarly in Deonar, open burning of garbage is a main contributing factor,” the official said.
Mumbai's civic administration has implemented the Graded Response Action Plan-4 (GRAP-4) to combat the city's deteriorating air quality, with many areas recording "poor" Air Quality Index (AQI) levels. Emergency measures include monitoring construction sites, cleaning roads, and fining polluting industries. Areas like Mazgaon and Malad have been particularly affected, prompting these actions to improve air quality.