Mumbai among only five cities in Maharashtra to improve air quality, yet still breathes unhealthy air: Report

Mumbai AQI

A comprehensive eight-year analysis of air quality data has revealed a stark reality for Maharashtra: while Mumbai shows marginal improvement, the air across the state remains dangerously polluted, with every monitored city failing to meet national targets, as per TOI.

The report, prepared by the Waatavaran Foundation in collaboration with Envirocatalyst using Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, indicates that Mumbai's annual average for fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is 35 µg/m³. This level, though within India's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), is a staggering seven times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe guideline of 5 µg/m³.

According to the report, the city did see a 12% reduction in coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀) since 2019–20, with levels now at 91 µg/m³. Mumbai is among only five cities in Maharashtra, alongside Amravati, Kolhapur, Latur and Virar, to have achieved any reduction in PM₁₀ over the past five years.

The broader picture for Maharashtra is grim. Every city monitored in the state exceeded national limits for PM₁₀, while half breached the standards for the more hazardous PM₂.₅.

Malegaon emerged as the state's most polluted city for PM₂.₅, with a concentration of 51 µg/m³. It was closely followed by Jalna (50 µg/m³) and Jalgaon (48 µg/m³). Jalgaon also recorded the highest level of overall pollution in the state, with a PM₁₀ level of 110 µg/m³. Sangli was noted as having the cleanest air, yet it still failed to meet the WHO's stringent health-based guidelines.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019 with a target of a 40% reduction in PM₁₀ levels by 2025–26, has seen poor implementation. The report highlighted that no city in Maharashtra has met its incremental pollution reduction targets. Compounding the issue is a significant failure in utilising allocated funds; Mumbai used only Rs 574 crore of its Rs 938 crore allocation, while Nagpur spent less than half of its sanctioned amount.

Alarmingly, several cities not covered by the NCAP, including Malegaon, Parbhani, Ahmednagar and Belapur are now recording even higher pollution levels.

"Policies exist, but their implementation is inconsistent and often delayed," Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder and CEO of Waatavaran Foundation, was cited by TOI as saying. "Without year-round strategies, especially before and during the winter season, Maharashtra will continue to see avoidable health crises and economic losses."

In Mumbai, the primary culprits remain consistent. Avinash Kate, BMC deputy municipal commissioner (Environment and Climate Change), identified construction and road dust as the biggest challenges. He outlined measures including a code of 28 guidelines for dust mitigation at construction sites, along with regular misting and road cleaning.

Speaking on the next phase of the city's efforts, Kate stated that open burning is another significant contributor. "There are currently 295 bakeries in the city using non-traditional fuels. We should be able to shift them all soon to cleaner alternatives and in the next phase, we hope to transition restaurants using tandoors to cleaner fuels as well," he was quoted as saying by TOI.

The report notes that most cities in Maharashtra endure five to six months of hazardous air quality annually, with conditions deteriorating most severely during the winter. This persistent pollution poses a continuous threat to public health, underscoring the urgent need for more effective and consistently enforced action plans.