The air quality in Mumbai dropped to the ‘moderate’ category two days after Diwali with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 126 at around 9:30 am on Tuesday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data. This shift comes after Diwali celebrations, during which the city experienced an AQI of 245 on Monday, categorising the air quality as ‘poor.’

Specific areas in the city witnessed even higher AQI levels on Tuesday, with the Bandra Kurla Complex and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport reporting 155 and 158, respectively. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data indicated that the 24-hour AQI at 4 pm on November 13 stood at 193, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category, with PM 2.5 identified as the prominent pollutant.

The financial capital of the country was ranked as the 8th most polluted city globally on Monday, according to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. The aftermath of Diwali revelries propelled the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 189, shifting from the recent ‘satisfactory’ levels witnessed after the unseasonal rainfall. Despite a Bombay High Court order limiting firecrackers bursting to a two-hour window (8 pm to 10 pm) on Diwali, many people defied restrictions. The firecracker bursting also continued in many areas on Monday further deteriorating the air quality.

However, the overall AQI figure, though elevated, marks an improvement from the ‘poor’ air quality levels last year, reaching an AQI of 305 post-Diwali.

In response to the Bombay High Court directive, the Mumbai Police remained vigilant across the city's police stations to monitor compliance with restrictions on firecracker bursting. As reported by Mid-Day, nearly 784 cases were registered, and action was taken against 806 individuals between November 10 and November 12 for violating the HC order.

Despite the restrictions and the BMC's appeal, residents in several areas, including Marine Drive, Powai, Shivaji Park, and Kandivali, continued to burst crackers, with reports of loud noise coming after midnight. Notably, areas like Parel and Nerul (East) experienced comparatively fewer violations, as per a Times of India report.

Challenging prevailing perceptions, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), representing real estate developers in Mumbai, asserted that attributing rising pollution solely to heavy construction is unfair, reported Money Control.

They argued that refineries, waste management and power plants significantly impact Mumbai’s air quality. The recent identification of the M-East ward, encompassing Chembur, Mankhurd and Deonar, with the highest air pollution levels underscores diverse contributors, including power plants, refineries and the Deonar landfill, according to a statement from the developers’ body.

Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued guidelines in October 2023 to 6,000 construction sites, encompassing private real estate and infrastructure projects, aimed at curbing dust and air pollution in the city.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)