BMC serves notice to 100 contractors, asks to follow dust mitigation norms

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to over 100 contractors and real estate companies involved in the implementation of both private and government projects. They have been instructed to comply with dust mitigation regulations, and civic officials have warned that failure to do so will result in punitive measures. This action comes as the city grapples with deteriorating air quality.

BMC communication covers contractors and real estate firms in the P North civic ward in western Mumbai, mainly suburb of Malad, as the civic body seek to improve Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI). Kiran Dighavkar, the assistant municipal commissioner of the P-North ward, disclosed to PTI on Friday that there are a total of 124 under-construction sites in the Malad area. These comprise 97 privately-owned sites under construction and 27 government projects in progress, including roads, stormwater drains, and bridges.

We have issued (identically worded) letters to all of them to follow (dust mitigation and other anti-pollution) guidelines failing which necessary actions will be initiated, Dighavkar said. Last week, the civic body issued a new set of guidelines for mitigation of air pollution in Mumbai, and gave builders and contractors one month to acquire sprinklers and fogging machines at construction sites.

Clarifying the civic administration has not issued stop-work notices to entities engaged in construction as of now, Dighavkar insisted letters have been sent to ensure builders and contractors follow basic preventive measures against air pollution until they acquire sprinklers and fogging machines.

BMC's P-north ward has also issued a notice to the contractor of the ambitious Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project in the western suburbs, asking them to follow air pollution mitigation guidelines. All the work of constructing roads, drains, bridges to be carried out by taking proper permission of construction and demolition. All the sites should have CCTV cameras to monitor vehicle movements, reads the BMC notice to GMLR.