In a bid to prioritize environmental sustainability, Mumbai has recently taken decisive action against construction sites found in violation of pollution norms. The city has collected a staggering ₹24 lakh in fines, marking a significant step towards ensuring cleaner and more responsible construction practices.
As of now, the BMC has gathered approximately Rs. 24.2 lakh in fines from construction sites due to non-compliance with air pollution mitigation guidelines issued in October.
The largest fine, amounting to Rs 12.6 lakh, was levied on construction sites that neglected cleanliness, permitting the buildup of dust and debris. Following closely was a fine of Rs 9.2 lakh for those engaged in unauthorized construction and demolition waste activities. Additionally, penalties of Rs 2.1 lakh were imposed for uncovered vehicles transporting construction waste, and Rs 24,900 for the improper burning of garbage.
Providing insight into the modest penalty collection for exposed vehicles transporting construction waste, a municipal official clarified that the Bombay High Court had instructed a suspension of debris transportation between November 6 and 19. The BMC was authorized to extend this ban if the city's air quality failed to improve. However, with the noticeable improvement in air quality, the BMC, on November 22, lifted the prohibition on debris transportation from construction sites.
Nonetheless, according to former BMC corporator and opposition party leader Ravi Raja, the penalty of Rs 24.2 lakh appears inconsequential considering the magnitude of projects worth thousands of crores underway in Mumbai. Raja emphasized that the apparent lack of adequate action on the part of the BMC is evident when considering the numerous easily identifiable violations by construction sites across the 24 wards.
Highlighting that stop-work notices, rather than penalties, have a more significant impact on construction sites, a ward officer stated, "They promptly ensure compliance to avoid work delays. Hence, we have been issuing stop-work notices." The BMC has, to date, issued 763 stop-work notices across the city's 24 wards, including the sealing of seven construction sites in K-East ward.
On October 25, the BMC released guidelines for mitigating air pollution linked to construction activities. This action followed a directive from the Prime Minister's Office to Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde, urging steps to curb pollution in Mumbai. The guidelines include requirements such as iron sheet enclosures at construction sites, the use of tarpaulin or jute covering, installation of sprinkler systems and anti-smog guns, CCTV surveillance to monitor overloaded trucks and debris handling, and the transport of construction material and on-site debris in fully covered vehicles to designated areas, among other stipulations.
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