'Let Us Breathe, Let Mumbai Live': Mumbaikars Hit The Streets, Demand Action Against Worsening Air Quality

Mumbai: Hundreds of Mumbaikars formed a human chain at Bandra’s Carter Road, holding placards and chanting slogans to protest rising air pollution and demand their right to clean air.

Protesters held placards reading ‘Stop Air Pollution, We Need Clean Air’, ‘Let Us Breathe, Let Mumbai Live’ and ‘Smog Is Not Normal, Clean Air Is a Human Right’. Many vowed to withhold their votes in the upcoming BMC elections unless air quality improves and pollution control becomes a priority for public representatives.

Natasha Pereira, an environment activist and one of the organisers of the citizens protest said, “Mumbai's air is getting harder to breathe and it's high time for citizens to stand together. Roads digging, cars, dust from redevelopment and loss of trees is killing our right to breathe clean air.”

Meanwhile, the BMC has implemented a graded response action plan (GRAP IV) for Mumbai since last month, and several air pollution mitigation measures have been undertaken. The AQI has shown improvement over the weekend and the city's overall AQI on Sunday came down to 106. Last Wednesday, the city's AQI had reached 198, and several areas recorded AQI above 250, which falls under the 'Poor' category.

As per Central Pollution Control Board data, on Sunday Bandra Kurla complex recorded the poorest AQI at 214, followed by Bandra East (135), Deonar (135), Malad West (130), CSMIA T2 (125), Chembur (123) and Byculla (120) among others.

The areas like Mazgaon, Chakala-Andheri, Powai and Borivali East which saw the worst air quality last week, recorded AQI below 100 on Sunday.

As the city's air quality neared hazardous levels last week, the BMC ran a special campaign from November 28 to 30, targeting dust reduction on major roads. While 'stop-work’ notices have been issued to at least 62 construction sites for violating air pollution norms.

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