On looking at Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) which has been hovering around the "poor" to "very poor" category over the past few weeks, a seven-member committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of additional municipal commissioner Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, the Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) said on Sunday.

Municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal held an urgent review meeting through video-conferencing, in the wake of the need to control air pollution, preparations for the G20 meeting scheduled to be held in Mumbai at the end of March 2023, and the progress of the Mumbai beautification project, wherein he gave various instructions.

To control the dust in the air, which is the main factor causing air pollution, Chahal directed that a report shall be submitted within seven days and also dust control measures will be strictly implemented in the BMC area from April 1, 2023, strict action will be taken against violators.

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"The air quality in the Mumbai region including the city of Mumbai is currently bad due to changes in the wind speed conditions combined with dust arising from various development and construction works, which are going on a large scale. In view of this, dust is the main factor responsible for air pollution.

To control it, a committee comprising seven members has been constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Sanjeev Kumar. The committee shall submit its report within seven days and on the basis of that, from 1st April 2023, strict implementation of these measures will be initiated in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area. Stringent action including stopping of construction work will be taken against the violators," BMC said.

The meeting was attended by all additional municipal commissioners, all concerned joint municipal commissioners/deputy municipal commissioners, assistant commissioners, and heads of departments.

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According to the civic body, the air pollution situation has arisen like never before in the Mumbai metropolitan city. At present, there are more than 5,000 sites in Mumbai where various works are going on.

Based on the report of the committee formed, the final Standard Operating Procedure, for dust control in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area, will be finalised and implemented from April 1, 2023.