BJP blames MVA, Thackerays for Mumbai’s worsening AQI, seeks probe

In yet another attack, the BJP has urged the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government to probe into the into the worsening air quality index (AQI) of Mumbai blaming the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation and the then Shiv Sena-controlled BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation.

It may be mentioned in the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government from November 2019 to June 2022, his son Aaditya Thackeray was the environment minister.

Weeks ago, Aaditya had slammed the Shinde-Fadnavis government for the terrible condition of Mumbai's pollution index.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar has shot off a letter to Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, in this regard.

“According to the experts, more than 50 per cent of this pollution is due to the sudden surge of construction activities, increased vehicular emissions and changes in wind speed this winter. And hence, the government needs to intervene and take immediate measures to prevent the further deterioration,” he said in the letter.

Read | Experts raise concern about falling air quality of Mumbai

He said that according to the environment experts, the financial concessions provided to the real estate sector during the tenure of the MVA government have led to the uncontrolled rise in construction projects being undertaken simultaneously across the city.

“Also, the building proposal and environment department of the BMC did not pay any attention to the environmental hazards that all these construction activities would pose on the air quality of Mumbai. Nearly 1,500 redevelopment and construction projects are being carried out across Mumbai,” he said.

“Holistic approach is needed to tackle the pollution crisis across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Unfortunately, the BMC’s environment control cell has been found lacking in this regard,” he pointed out.

While urging the government to initiate strict measures, he has also given suggestions on measures that could be taken to resolve the pollution crisis.

“Like the NCR, the government of Maharashtra must also form a Commission for Air Quality Management headed by the MMRDA to monitor the pollution levels and also to formulate graded response action plans to tackle the pollution levels in Mumbai and the adjoining MMR,” he suggested.

The BMC must set up the long pending construction and debris recycling facility and also mandate the construction sector across the MMR to abide by the pollution control norms. This must be made compulsory for the Municipalities in the MMR as well.

“Burning of dry waste and illegal burning of waste materials must be stopped. Illegal furnaces to extract metals must be immediately stopped in Malwani, Jogeshwari and Behrampada areas. Also, the illegal waste disposal and vehicle scrap industry working in CSMT, Santacruz and Kurla must be immediately stopped. Bakeries, illegal farsan factories and other eateries in the entire MMR using wood and coal must be asked to shift to using CNG or PNG. The BMC must allocate Rs 100 crore to help them fund this transition through a soft loan repayable over 7 years. All crematoriums in Mumbai must be shifted to electric or PNG fired furnaces,” he said.