Maharashtra’s capital city Mumbai has been ranked as the second most polluted city in the world between January 29 and February 8, as per a report by IQAir, a Swiss company that tracks global air quality.
As per the report, Mumbai stood in 10th position on January 29 in IQAir rankings. It reached the top position on February 2 before coming down in the subsequent days and then climbed again to the second rank on February 8.
According to a Times of India report, Mumbai was the third most unhealthy city across the world for air quality on February 13 as it overtook India’s national capital Delhi which was the country’s most polluted city till that time.
IQAir partners with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Greenpeace, and uses India’s Central Pollution Control Board data (CPCB) to assess air quality.
As per experts, the dip in air quality in Mumbai is due to the dust and smoke coming from vehicles and construction activities.
Moreover, the Mumbaikars have also started reporting respiratory ailments. Speaking to TOI, cardiac surgeon Dr OH Jaiswal said black lung patches has become alarmingly common these days. “During heart surgeries, we routinely encounter lungs visibly affected by air pollution. We often see black lungs or lungs with patches, even in non-smokers,” he was quoted as saying.
According to an Indian Express report, Mumbai recorded the highest number of days with ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ air between November 2022 and January 2023. This is reportedly nearly double the number of days during the same period last year. The number is also nearly three times more than the same period in 2019-2020.
Last week, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced multiple steps to reduce air pollution in the city. The issue also featured in its civic budget this year. To combat air pollution, the BMC developed the ‘Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan’ (APMAP). The BMC allocated Rs 25 crore to this policy in the recent budget.
The BMC said it would set up dedicated air-quality monitoring units at the ward level. The civic body also said it would install 14 air-purifier towers in Mumbai.
Delhi Govt to Conduct Study on Reduction in Pollution
The Delhi government will conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of the measures taken to curb air pollution in the winter season such as the use of water sprinklers, anti-smog guns and road sweeping machines, officials said.
The government spends a lot of money on these interventions. It is necessary to ascertain the reduction in pollution levels due to the steps taken, an official of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said on Monday.
The government will request proposals from agencies to establish a network of low-cost sensors in the areas and the routes where water sprinklers, anti-smog guns and sweeping machines are deployed. “It will help us rewire these local measures in the next season. It will enable more judicious use of the resources we have,” the official said.
However, the data provided by these low-cost sensors will not be used for overall air quality monitoring. The request for proposals will be floated by the end of the month, the official said.
Low-cost air quality sensors are designed for small-scale monitoring programmes. These can be used for monitoring the air quality in the immediate surroundings, but may not be representative of larger geographic areas.
(with inputs from PTI)
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