Authorities took no steps to raise awareness among citizens on Mumbai air quality: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court has observed that authorities have not undertaken any measures to generate health advisories or educate the public about the detrimental levels of the current Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city.

In its order, a division bench consisting of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor made this observation when it took suo motu cognizance of the air pollution in Mumbai.

The bench on Tuesday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government, the Union government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and sought to know from them what measures have been undertaken to tackle the problem.

The court said it would hear the plea further on November 6. In its detailed order, made available on Wednesday, referred to media reports and said the AQI in Mumbai over the past 15 to 20 days has ranged from between 150 (moderate) and 411 (severe).

It noted that while the reports say the BMC has taken certain steps to reduce and/or mitigate the air pollution in Mumbai, the AQI levels have not improved so as to bring the same within the healthy limits.

Further, we must note and what is crucial is that no steps have been taken to create/issue the necessary health advisories as also to raise awareness amongst the citizens so as to best safeguard themselves from deleterious levels of AQI presently prevailing in Mumbai. This factor needs immediate attention, the order said.