Mumbai: BMC demolishes four chimneys of smelting units to tackle air pollution

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken action to address the deteriorating air pollution in South Mumbai. They have demolished four chimneys of gold and silver smelting units located in the Kalbadevi and Zaveri Bazar areas. According to BMC officials, their C-ward took action against the units as they were compounding the air pollution in the metropolis.

On Wednesday, official data indicated that the average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Mumbai was approximately 150, categorizing it as moderate. In the process of producing ornaments and related activities, small-scale factories primarily use smelting units to melt gold and silver. During this melting process in furnaces, civic officials have noted that gaseous byproducts are discharged into the atmosphere through chimneys.

However, when such fumes are released without scientific treatment, they pose a threat to human health, they said. As these hazardous gases add to the city’s pollution, BMC has initiated a drive against those violating the air pollution norms, said a civic official. The BMC’s buildings and factories department has evicted four such smelting units on Dhanji Marg and Miza Marg in C-ward, the official said.