After residents of Balewadi raised an alarm over worsening air quality, the Balewadi Welfare Federation wrote a letter to the Commissioner of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) demanding urgent enforcement of air pollution control measures in the area. Citizens have reported a rise in respiratory illnesses, eye irritation, allergies and persistent fatigue, which they attribute to deteriorating Air Quality Index levels amid ongoing infrastructure and construction activities.
The residents demanded the installation of a real-time AQI monitoring station in Balewadi, strict dust control measures at metro and construction sites, regular road dust suppression through mechanised cleaning, development of green buffers using native species and immediate action against instances of open waste burning.
"The pollution levels in Pune are similar to Delhi; the commissioner himself has flagged the worsening condition. We have been complaining about the issue for a very long time. We now hope that PMC will act at the earliest and fulfil our demands rather than just forming committees and finding ways to curb the increasing air pollution in the city. We need action and not just promises," said Maya Vanraj, a resident of Balewadi.
Vandana Chaudhary, a resident of Balewadi, added, “Pune has increasingly become a hotspot of air pollution. Road dust, construction debris, RMC plants, and rampant waste burning are choking the city’s air. While the MPCB has issued clear guidelines, PMC has failed to enforce them, leaving citizens to suffer the consequences. Smoke from waste burning is entering our homes, making them unsafe and unbreathable. The deteriorating AQI is harming children, elders, and vulnerable groups, with chronic respiratory illnesses on the rise. Pune must urgently step up and act—our city deserves clean, breathable air, not toxic fumes.”
These concerns came soon after a one-day workshop on “Urban Environmental Challenges and Future Directions in Pune” was organised by PMC’s Environment Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the EIACP programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry – Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-CESD).
Addressing the gathering, the Municipal Commissioner acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that Pune is facing mounting environmental pressures due to rapid urbanisation, traffic congestion, increasing energy consumption and climate change, and remarked that Pune’s air pollution levels are now comparable to those seen in Delhi, highlighting the urgency for coordinated action.
During the workshop, PMC and IITM agreed to form a joint working group and action group on air pollution and environmental management with participation from NGOs, housing societies, scientists and academic experts. A scientific action plan for pollution control in Pune will be prepared, with implementation targets set for three, six and twelve months. The discussions emphasised data-driven air quality management, promotion of clean energy and electric vehicles, strengthening public transport and active mobility, adoption of nature-based solutions, creation of green and permeable spaces, rejuvenation of lakes, river improvement, water conservation, construction and demolition waste management and a strong Information, Education and Communication component to ensure public participation.
The developments indicate that citizen concerns from Balewadi are now converging with the broader environmental roadmap being prepared jointly by PMC and IITM, signalling a move towards scientific planning and stricter enforcement to tackle Pune’s growing air pollution challenge.
