Maharashtra Govt Orders Special Drive to Curb Air Pollution in Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Mumbai, Oct 24 : With Mumbai reportedly climbing from fifth to third place in the ranking of the world's most polluted cities, the Maharashtra government has directed municipal corporations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to launch a special drive to curb air pollution and control road dust.

The state government issued the directives on Friday, emphasising the need for effective and sustained measures to improve air quality across the metropolitan region. The campaign will primarily focus on controlling dust generated by roads and construction activities, which are major contributors to urban air pollution.

As part of the initiative, municipal corporations have been instructed to regularly sprinkle water on roads using sprinklers to minimise dust. Authorities have also been directed to ensure that vehicles transporting construction debris and rubble completely cover their loads to prevent construction waste and fine dust particles from spilling onto roads or becoming airborne during transportation.

The directives come amid growing concerns over deteriorating air quality in Mumbai and calls for stronger implementation of pollution-control measures. The government has stressed the importance of coordination among municipal corporations and strict enforcement of the prescribed guidelines to achieve visible improvements.

Meanwhile, air pollution was also discussed during the Mumbai civic body's general body meeting, where corporators expressed concern over the administration's alleged inaction and questioned the effectiveness of the steps being taken to tackle the problem.

The corporators' criticism reflected growing demands for accountability from civic authorities, particularly regarding the implementation of pollution-control regulations and measures to prevent dust from construction sites and road-related activities.

Under the latest directives, municipal corporations will be responsible for intensifying their efforts and ensuring that preventive measures are implemented effectively on the ground. Regular water sprinkling, proper covering of debris-transporting vehicles and stricter monitoring of compliance are expected to be key components of the special drive.

With air pollution emerging as a major public health and environmental concern in Mumbai, the success of the campaign will depend on consistent enforcement, regular monitoring and effective coordination between the state government and civic bodies.