Amid concern over Mumbai's air quality, MPCB shuts down 19 ready mix concrete units

Mumbai, Dec 4 (PTI) After Mumbai's air quality index dropped sharply and triggered widespread criticism, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has ordered the closure of 19 ready mix concrete (RMC) plants in and around the city as part of intensified step against air pollution.

The MPCB on Wednesday directed the shutdown of these RMC units operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), and serving various construction projects, for violating environmental norms and contributing to deteriorating air quality levels.

In a statement, the MPCB said multiple teams were conducting physical inspections across the MMR and that strict enforcement would continue through the winter months.

Several parts of Mumbai have recorded an AQI (air quality index) of more than 140 (moderately polluted) over the past few days.

The worsening air quality prompted protests by local Congress leaders, who accused the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state administration of negligence in addressing the pollution crisis.

According to the MPCB, it currently operates 32 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) across the MMR, covering Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Panvel. Of these, 14 stations are operated through the BMC.

The real-time AQI data from these stations is displayed on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s online dashboard and broadcast through media platforms, it said.

In the statement, the MPCB said the action against RMCs followed a compliance survey that revealed several facilities were operating without adequate dust control systems, emission management mechanisms and mandatory statutory permissions.

In addition, 22 mobile air quality monitoring vans have been deployed across Maharashtra to identify pollution hotspots, transport corridors and industrial clusters. These vehicles have also been assessing emissions in areas with a high concentration of RMC units, and any violations detected would invite stringent environmental action, the MPCB warned.

The board said it had issued revised operational guidelines for RMC plants in October 2023 and had now begun reviewing their implementation on the ground.

During the compliance survey, four RMC units in Deonar and Govandi in Mumbai -- Om Global Operation, SSG Ltd, Rambha Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Unity Construction Pvt Ltd -- were ordered to shut operations, while three plants deposited bank guarantees of Rs 5 lakh each.

The MPCB also directed action against unauthorised metal furnaces operating in Sanjay Gandhi Nagar and Sion. These units in Mumbai have been instructed to cease operations, and the BMC has been asked to initiate dismantling measures.

Mumbai Port Trust authorities have been told to impose preventive restrictions in the Wadala-Mahim belt after emissions were detected during monitoring exercises. The board said eight RMC units in Thane, six in Navi Mumbai, and one in Kalyan, besides four in Mumbai, were found violating norms and ordered to close, taking the total number of such facilities across the MMR to 19.

The MPCB said it has stepped up its pollution control campaign and will continue enforcement drives against non-compliant industries. Senior officials, including member secretary M M Devendra Singh, were personally involved in field inspections, and appeals have been made to industries to strictly adhere to regulatory norms.

Late last month, the Bombay High Court noted that dealing with a poor AQI would take some time, but pollution caused by construction activities in the financial capital can be tackled if mitigating guidelines are strictly implemented.

The HC then went on to constitute an independent five-member committee, comprising officials from the BMC, the MPCB and the Maharashtra government's health department, to inspect construction sites and ascertain whether guidelines are being adhered to.

The court, hearing a bunch of petitions raising concerns over the deteriorating AQI in Mumbai, had directed the BMC and the MPCB to submit an action taken report on December 15 regarding the anti-pollution measures they had taken last year.

An RMC unit produces pre-mixed concrete -- a combination of cement, water and aggregates such as crushed sand, gravel or crushed stone -- for use in construction projects.

Meanwhile, the BMC on Tuesday launched the Mumbai Air Network for Advanced Sciences (MANAS), an independent Artificial Intelligence-powered platform, to monitor the city's AQI and help tackle the worsening air quality situation.

Designed and implemented by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, the system will use low-cost AQI monitoring sensors to provide hyperlocal air quality data. Unlike the existing platforms run by the CPCB and state pollution control boards, the MANAS portal will not rely on conventional CAAQMS.

At present, Mumbai's AQI data is integrated with that of other major Indian cities on the CPCB's common platform 'Sameer'.

In the metropolis, 28 CAAQMS machines have been installed at various locations to track area-wise AQI levels. These machines analyse particulate matter and other micro-components in the air and display readings on the dashboard, with each unit covering an airshed within a 2-km radius. PTI ND RSY