Aaditya Thackeray writes to Centre about rising air pollution in Mumbai

In a letter to Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Thackeray also said Maharashtra does not have an independent Environment Minister to look into the issue

Yuva Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on March 18 wrote to the Centre raising the issue of air pollution in Mumbai, citing widespread construction activities and lack of effective supervision to control them.

In a letter to Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Thackeray also said Maharashtra does not have an independent Environment Minister to look into the issue.

“In the past 6 months, the air quality in Mumbai has consistently been rated as “Poor” to “Very Poor” on the AQI (air quality index). Other cities in Maharashtra are also posting concerning air quality numbers,” he said.

The entire city is undergoing construction, causing a large amount of dust and debris, much of which is left unattended and unchecked. Measures are needed to help the Urban Development Department and local bodies understand the consolidated impact construction has on the city’s environment, he said.

“Construction activity in Mumbai is widespread and lacks effective supervision,” the former State Environment Minister said.

As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), Mumbai’s Air Quality Index stood at a “moderate” 159 on March 18. Flagging rising air pollution in Mumbai, the city civic body recently set up a panel to suggest dust control measures.

The city has refineries and fertiliser plants on its eastern coast, and the round-the-clock industrial activity there is having a direct impact on the air quality in the city, Mr. Thackeray said.