Mumbai: Mumbai Congress on Sunday released its 'Clean Air Action Plan,' outlining emergency, medium-term, and long-term measures to combat rising air pollution. ‘The Congress party will secure Mumbaikars’ right to clean air from day one, aiming to bring the AQI to 40–60 within five years,’ said party's Mumbai chief Varsha Gaikwad.
The Congress alleged that the pollution has soared to hazardous levels due to government's inaction against builders and contractors who are not complying with norms and excessive road works, relentless concretisation, destruction of trees and open spaces.
On November 29, the party had announced plans to come up with the 'Mumbai Clean Air Action Plan', citing that 5,100 Mumbaikars lose their lives annually due to bad air.
The 10-point plan titled 'Mumbai Congress Mission Wipe Out Pollution', includes advancements in air quality monitoring infrastructure, installing 24/7 live AQI monitors in hotspot areas, ward level action plan, setting benchmarks for private and public construction sites, strict penalties against violators, 'name and shame' the builders/contractors not following air pollution control norms and strict implementation of 'polluters pay' policy.
Other measures include, industrial and commercial smoke control, controlling traffic pollution, expansion of green space under 'Green Mumbai 2030' by planting 1 million trees in next five years, establishment of 'Mumbai Clean Air War Room', inclusion of AQI targets in BMC annual report and reviews meetings with NGOs and citizen groups among others.
Under emergency response, the plan states restricting construction activities and outdoor activities for citizens when AQI crosses 200 and N95 masks for frontline workers
“Pollution in Mumbai has reached its worst levels and respiratory diseases are increasing. The toxic air in Mumbai is not nature's fault but the result of the negligence, carelessness and lack of efforts of the corrupt, irresponsible and opportunistic government," Gaikwad said.
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