Mumbai, Oct 23 — To curb air pollution in Mumbai and surrounding areas, Maharashtra Environment and Climate Change Minister Pankaja Munde on Friday said that strict measures will be implemented to control road dust, transport and disposal of construction debris, industrial pollution, and vehicular emissions.
Emphasising that sweeping alone is insufficient, she announced that road dust reduction will rely on vacuum cleaning machines, water sprinkling using sprinklers, and mandatory complete covering of vehicles transporting construction debris. Integrated measures will be formulated through the Clean Air Action Plan for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Minister Munde, at the review meeting amid deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, stressed the need to pay special attention to road dust and re-suspended dust caused by vehicular movement. As these factors contribute significantly to pollution, sweeping methods must change. Merely sweeping dust to the side with a broom does not reduce pollution; hence, the deployment of vacuum cleaning machines must be increased.
Additionally, she suggested exploring the feasibility of using treated wastewater for water sprinkling. She instructed municipal corporations to procure the necessary machinery to curb air pollution and adopt technical solutions for road cleaning, dust suppression, and regular air quality monitoring.
Furthermore, Minister Munde suggested considering appropriate measures to mitigate dust in open grounds of schools and colleges. Extensive construction and redevelopment projects are underway across the MMR, making the transport and disposal of generated debris a crucial aspect of pollution control. Vehicles carrying debris must keep construction materials fully covered.
Minister Munde directed the Traffic Police Department not to let non-compliant vehicles go with just a fine, but to prevent them from proceeding until full compliance is ensured. She urged the Traffic Police to strictly enforce existing regulations.
Minister Munde noted that several municipal corporations face difficulties due to a lack of adequate sites for dumping construction debris. Therefore, a coordinated system for debris collection, transport, processing, and recycling is essential.
Municipal corporations in Mumbai and nearby areas should explore the joint utilisation of available space. Along with developing independent disposal systems, she encouraged promoting the processing and reuse of debris in construction activities. Guidelines in this regard will be prepared over the next 15 to 20 days.
Separate meetings will be conducted with relevant local bodies—including the Panvel, Kalyan, and Mumbai municipal corporations—to address their specific challenges, Minister Munde clarified.
To curb industrial pollution, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board must ensure actual compliance alongside inspections. Strict action must be taken against industries that fail to adhere to rules despite repeated checks.
However, Minister Munde emphasised that the goal is not to shut down every industry, but to ensure necessary corrective improvements. It was observed that older machinery and outdated production processes in certain industrial areas contribute to rising pollution levels. Site-specific solutions tailored to local conditions are required.
She instructed MPCB to increase visit frequencies and strictly verify post-inspection compliance. Attention will also be directed toward vehicle maintenance, strict enforcement of pollution controls, and dust generated during transport. Traffic police and related agencies must work in coordination to monitor vehicles transporting construction material.
Minister Munde underlined the necessity of effective action against offending vehicles. She highlighted the need for green initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts caused by rising construction, concrete roads, and open dust in urban zones.
She instructed officials to conduct a technical study on developing rooftop gardens on buildings, adopting eco-friendly structural design changes in construction, and implementing dust control measures in urban open spaces.
While Mumbai's coastal location aids air circulation, reliance on natural conditions alone is insufficient to reduce pollution. Coordinated efforts across road dust, construction debris, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution are essential.
Minister Munde urged all municipal corporations and relevant departments to collectively prepare and effectively execute a joint action plan.