Mumbai: The civic authorities have directed the newly appointed deputy engineers to begin inspecting the construction sites that are not implementing necessary dust mitigation measures. As part of this initiative, formal notices will be issued to approximately 5,000 construction sites, notifying them of the requirement to adhere to 29 specific guidelines aimed at preventing air pollution during their projects.
It has been observed that the air quality in the city consistently deteriorates between November and February, exacerbated by various factors, including construction dust.
However, the teams formed to inspect construction sites and enforce dust mitigation measures were unable to carry out their inspections since 60,000 civic employee and officials were deployed for the state assembly elections.
With the election period now over, the authorities are moving forward with the inspections to ensure that construction sites adhere to the necessary guidelines to curb air pollution.
These guidelines will ensure that construction activities are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner, reducing the impact of dust and other pollutants on air quality.
“Deputy Engineers will be entrusted with the responsibility of conducting regular inspections of construction sites within their respective wards. They are empowered to issue show-cause notices and, if necessary, suspend work at sites that fail to implement required measures to mitigate air pollution,” said a senior civic official.
Each civic ward has a squad led by a senior official, with two engineers, a police officer, and a marshal. Smaller wards have two squads, mid-sized wards four, and larger wards six. To assist the understaffed BMC environment department, deputy engineers have been appointed in 20 out of 24 wards.
In accordance with the 29 guidelines, construction and infrastructure sites must install metal sheets around their perimeters, cover all buildings under construction with green cloth, jute sheets, or tarpaulin, and maintain continuous water spraying during demolition.
Civic officials have also been instructed to curb activities that contribute to air pollution, such as burning wood or other materials for cooking at construction sites and lighting bonfires.
