Sena MP Milind Deora urges BMC to halt all construction as Mumbai faces a ‘public health emergency’

Citing the BMC’s Environment Status Report 2024–25, he noted that annual PM10 levels across monitoring zones range between 70–125 µg/m³ and PM2.5 between 27–52 µg/m³, with Chembur recording the highest concentrations. October 2025, he said, was the most polluted month of the year, with several stations reporting their worst PM2.5 and PM10 readings since January.

Deora said that despite the BMC’s dust-control guidelines issued in October 2024, covering full barricading of construction sites, green cloth facades, water sprinkling, dust-extraction systems and mandatory AQI monitors, compliance has been poor. He pointed out that areas like Mazgaon have repeatedly crossed AQI 300, reflecting gaps in enforcement.

Arguing that “routine measures will no longer suffice,” he called for a temporary moratorium on all construction-related work, including projects by utility agencies. Construction dust, he said, is the largest contributor to particulate pollution, and a temporary pause would offer the most immediate relief.

The MP also sought daily inspections of construction sites, immediate shutdowns for violations, mandatory washing and water-sprinkling of debris and cement trucks, compulsory washing bays, and enhanced dust-suppression measures such as fogging, roadside sprinkling and mechanical sweeping in known hotspots. He further demanded independent real-time AQI monitors in construction and industrial areas, ward-wise public disclosure of data, and strict penalties for repeat offenders, including restrictions on future permits.

“Mumbai is now facing a public-health emergency,” Deora wrote, adding that prolonged exposure to high PM levels increases respiratory and cardiovascular risks, particularly for children and the elderly. He said air-quality management should become a year-round priority rather than a seasonal response.

Sharing the letter on social media, Deora said Mumbai “deserves better” and called for a broader public movement demanding clean air.