Bombay High Court Forms Joint Probe Panel As Mumbai Air Quality Worsens

Amid Mumbai's deteriorating air quality, the Bombay High Court on Friday ordered the formation of a five-member inspection team comprising officials from the BMC, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, state health department and civil society representatives to examine construction sites across Mumbai for compliance with pollution-control norms. The court directed that a detailed report be submitted by December 15. 

Hearing a PIL on the city's deteriorating air quality, the bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad expressed concern over Mumbai's AQI touching hazardous levels and said strict action was required against construction sites violating dust-mitigation rules.

The court noted that while broader air-quality issues may take time to resolve, dust pollution from construction activity was a problem that could be addressed immediately through strict enforcement of existing guidelines. 

The bench said, "Let us ensure that construction sites and dust pollution are tackled. Delhi has been struggling with the pollution issue for more than 15 years. In Mumbai, if proper steps and guidelines are followed, we can achieve better results."

The court reiterated the need for continuous AQI monitoring at project sites, proper debris management, dust suppression measures and adherence to the 28-point mitigation framework already in place. The judges stressed that authorities must also issue timely public-health advisories as pollution levels rise with the onset of winter.

The directive came a day after the BMC issued stop-work notices to 53 construction sites for non-compliance, with civic officials reporting that more than a hundred sensor-based air-quality monitors installed at sites were inactive. 

The High Court had earlier rejected arguments blaming the pollution spike on external phenomena such as volcanic ash, noting that Mumbai had been experiencing haze and reduced visibility well before such explanations were offered. The bench said that accountability and enforcement, rather than excuses, would determine whether the city could curb its worsening air-quality crisis in the coming weeks.