Navi Mumbai, Jan 07: As part of intensified action to curb rising air pollution, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has shut down 19 construction sites and issued notices to 42 others, while urging citizens to rely only on the official SAMEER App and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website for accurate air quality information.
Inspections find violations during December drive
The action follows inspections carried out by ward-level flying squads during December, which found several construction sites violating pollution control norms. Officials said construction work was stopped at 19 locations under GRAP-4 norms, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded above 200.
Winter conditions worsen pollution levels
Civic officials explained that air pollution levels typically rise during the winter months due to low wind speeds and higher humidity, which restrict the dispersion of pollutants and create fog-like conditions near the ground.
27-point pollution control guidelines in force
To tackle the issue, NMMC had introduced 27-point air pollution control guidelines in 2024 under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde.
As part of these measures, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been made mandatory at all construction sites, including the installation of air quality monitoring devices. So far, 30 construction sites have installed such devices, while work is underway at the remaining locations.
Notices and penalties issued to developers
During inspections, the civic body issued advisory notices to 32 construction sites, show-cause notices to 10 sites, and stop-work notices to 19 sites. Penalty notices have also been issued to 173 developers for non-compliance.
Road cleaning and dust suppression intensified
In addition, NMMC has intensified mechanical road sweeping, removal of accumulated dust along roads and footpaths, washing of roads with treated water, and regular water spraying through NCAP vehicles to bring down airborne dust levels.
Civic body refutes false AQI reports
Clarifying reports of a sharp rise in AQI in Sanpada, the civic body said data circulated by third-party low-cost sensors, crowd-sourced models, or satellite-based estimates may not always follow CPCB calibration and verification standards. “The reports mentioning the AQI level gone above 600 is false. People should follow only the authentic apps,” said an NMMC spokesperson.
Citizens urged to rely on official sources
“Citizens should refer only to the SAMEER App and the CPCB website for accurate and verified air quality data. Information from unauthorised sensors can be misleading and must always be cross-checked with official sources,” an official from the NMMC Environment Department said.
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Strict enforcement to continue
The municipal corporation said it will continue strict enforcement of pollution control measures and appealed to citizens and developers to cooperate in maintaining healthy air quality across Navi Mumbai.
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