To address the declining air quality index (AQI) in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is implementing a localized approach to reduce pollution levels.
According to civic officials, this strategy will involve targeted interventions in several municipal wards that consistently record unhealthy levels of AQI.
Senior officials said He indian express that as part of this initiative, BMC will procure 28 automatic sweepers to clear dust from the roads. Additionally, the BMC will deploy vehicle-mounted spray vans to remove suspended particles from the air by spraying water. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reveals that Bombay experienced 21 days of unhealthy AQI readings between January 1 and 27, while only six days were classified as satisfactory. During this period, the average AQI in Mumbai ranged between 120 and 150, which is considered moderate and unhealthy for vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children.
Specific focus: How will it work?
Apart from monitoring overall AQI levels, the BMC also tracks AQI data from 28 monitoring stations located across the city. Civic officials said The Indian Express that if a particular place shows a drop in AQI readings, immediate actions like spraying water on roads and using mist guns in the air will be initiated.
“Last week, AQI stations in Andheri East started showing a steady drop in AQI, soon after which we deployed our own district-level officials to find out the cause. If we detect open burning of garbage anywhere, then we make efforts to stop it. If we find that the area is full of dust due to construction work or similar activities, water spraying will immediately be started,” Avinash Dhakane, additional municipal commissioner of BMC, who is also at charge of the environment department, said The Indian Express.
Dhakane also confirmed that BMC will procure 28 sweepers for dust clearance in Mumbai.
“These machines will sweep the major roads of Mumbai on a routine basis. They will be better equipped to clear dust along the footpaths, which can otherwise be a challenge with vehicles parked on both sides,” Dhakane said.
Story continues below this ad.
The sweep will be carried out from the extreme north to the extreme south in the morning and from south to north in the evening, he added. Additionally, the BMC has floated tenders to procure vehicle-mounted sprayer vans for nine municipal wards in the western and eastern suburbs, including areas like Andheri, Jogeshwari, Malad, Borivali, Ghatkopar, Kanjurmarg, Bhandup and Mulund. Civic officials stated that each of these wards will be provided with a dedicated misting vehicle to spray water regularly.
Until now, vehicle-mounted fogging machines were only available in a few districts of south Mumbai, which were deployed across the city for routine activities.
“By adding more vehicles to our fleet, we will be able to reduce the response time. Commuting and dust emissions have been considered as one of the major contributing factors to low AQI in Mumbai. Therefore, it is important to spray water regularly,” a BMC official said.
