Argus News - Mumbai Under GRAP 4: Toxic Air Triggers Severe Restrictions

Mumbai, Dec1: India's financial capital, Mumbai, has dramatically joined Delhi on the list of cities grappling with severe air pollution, forcing civic authorities to enforce tough restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) 4. The escalating air quality crisis comes as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in several parts of the city, including Mazgaon, Deonar, and Malad, has crossed the 'very poor' and 'severe' thresholds.

In response, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has immediately halted all construction and dust-generating activities, issuing stop-work notices to over 50 sites, while small industries like bakeries and marble-cutting units have been directed to adopt cleaner operational processes or face action.

The BMC has deployed flying squads, comprising engineers and police to aggressively enforce these measures and monitor emissions across the city. The toxic air has led to a barrage of health complaints from residents, mirroring Delhi's annual plight, and has drawn sharp criticism from public figures, including actor Soni Razdan and comedian Vir Das, who warn that apathy could have lethal long-term consequences.

Mumbai's crisis, attributed to vehicular emissions, construction, and waste burning, highlights a persistent failure to address root causes, prompting the city's Congress unit to release a 'Mumbai Clean Air Action Plan' proposing fundamental changes like planting a million trees and establishing clean air as a basic right.