Mumbai air pollution crisis: AQI severe, HC orders audit, activists cite health emergency

Mumbai air pollution crisis

Mumbai’s air quality has plummeted to severe and hazardous levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 326 in several areas, according to a TOI report. A persistent blanket of smog has reduced visibility and enveloped the city, prompting urgent warnings from environmentalists and judicial intervention from the Bombay High Court.

Meteorologists attribute the sharp spike to a confluence of winter conditions, which trap pollutants close to the ground, stagnant air and sustained emissions from local sources.

In a direct response to the deteriorating conditions, the Bombay High Court on Friday established an independent five-member committee to audit construction sites across the metropolis. The panel, ordered by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad, will verify compliance with dust mitigation rules.

As reported by TOI, the committee will include a public health professional, two civil society representatives and one official each from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

While acknowledging the need for a long-term strategy, the court emphasised that immediate enforcement of existing regulations on construction dust is imperative. The matter is scheduled for a further hearing on December 15, following the committee’s report.

The crisis has drawn sharp criticism from environmental activists, who stress that the health implications are severe and pervasive. Veteran campaigner Stalin Dayanand warned that air pollution is a silent killer, damaging internal organs well beyond the perceived symptoms of cough and cold. He cited extensive medical research linking pollution to diabetes, blood pressure and heart attacks.

Dayanand was cited by TOI as saying that neglecting the quality of the air we breathe signifies profoundly misplaced priorities. Dismissing the notion of retreating indoors as a solution, he called for systemic change, noting that his organisation’s Public Interest Litigation on pollution is currently before the High Court.

He attributed the crisis to a combination of vehicle emissions, unregulated construction, fossil fuel use and fugitive dust, arguing that developed nations achieve growth while following environmental rules.

Fellow activist Subhajit Mukherjee highlighted the unprecedented scale of current construction, which he claims is being undertaken without strict adherence to norms. He argued that while Mumbai requires development, the current suffering stems from a failure to properly follow regulations.

Mukherjee also pointed to Mumbai’s neglected natural defences, noting that the leaves of trees, which act as natural air filters, are often caked in dust and need cleaning. He advocated for community efforts to sprinkle water on local greenery, suggesting this was more impactful than purchasing air purifiers.

Aligning with global data from the IQAir World Air Quality Report 2024, which places 94 Indian cities among the world’s top 100 most polluted, Mukherjee announced plans to spearhead a national tree-planting initiative in highly polluted urban centres.