Task forces to come up at wards to identify air pollution sources, take action against violators

The committee, in its 41-page ‘Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan’, has blamed the ongoing construction activities as being the primary cause behind dust pollution. It has also said that open burning of solid waste; unclean fuel used in hotels, eateries, bakeries and household; smoke emitted from crematoriums, vehicular emissions and displaced road dust contribute to Mumbai’s worsening air quality.

As per the circular, ward-level task forces will be set up in all the 24 municipal wards, which will identify sources of air pollution and take action against violators. Each ward will get three task forces.

The first task force will comprise officials from BMC’s building factories and building proposal department, which will monitor the dust mitigation measures implemented in construction sites.
The second one will include officers from solid waste management department that will keep a check on open waste burning and garbage dumping in public spaces.

The third task force will comprise officials from the BMC’s health department, which will monitor crematoriums and air pollution caused by burning of unclean fuel in eateries, bakeries, hotels and restaurants.

The BMC, at the ward level, will also prepare a check list on actions taken and derive measures to bring down emission levels at source. The circular said the instructions should be initiated from April 1. “It shall be the duty of the contractor to adhere with the contract conditions as well as the instructions mentioned in the expert’s committee’s action plan,” the circular said.

It added that site engineers and supervisors overlooking construction works will have to implement mitigation plans. Debris and construction items needs to be stacked and removed from the spot only after covering them by tarpaulin sheets or jute clothes so that there is no displacement of dust, the circular said.

“A weekly report needs to be submitted by each task force on every Tuesday to the ward officer, who will submit their final action taken report on 5th and 20th of every month tocadditional municipal commissioner and deputy municipal commissioner (Environment),” it added.

A senior BMC official said that copies of the action plan and the circular have been circulated to all the departments of BMC.

“The head of each department will now forward the same to the contractors carrying out the works. We are also planning to carry out sensitination activities in schools to increase public awareness,” the official added.