Mumbai, Dec 4 (PTI) In an effort to combat Mumbai's rapidly deteriorating air quality, Maharashtra's pollution controlling body has ordered immediate closure of 19 plants engaged in construction works across the city and its adjoining areas.

According to an order, issued by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Wednesday, 19 ready mix concrete (RMC) plants operating across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have been asked to close immediately.

These units were violating environmental norms and contributing to deteriorating air quality levels, said the board.

The RMC is a pre-mixture of cement, water and other things which is manufactured and delivered to construction sites in a ready-to-use form.

The decision of the state pollution board comes amidst widespread criticism and protests triggered by the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) spiking above 140 (moderately polluted) in several areas over recent days.

The order comes a week after the Bombay High Court had said dealing with a poor AQI would take some time but air pollution caused due to construction activities can be tackled if mitigating guidelines are strictly implemented.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad had set up an independent five-member committee, comprising officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, MPCB and the Maharashtra government's public health department, to carry out inspections at various construction sites and ascertain if air pollution mitigation guidelines are being adhered to.

In a statement, the MPCB said multiple teams were conducting physical inspections across the Mumbai region and that strict enforcement would continue through the winter months.

The worsening air quality prompted protests by local Congress leaders, who accused the BMC and the state administration of negligence in addressing the pollution crisis.

According to the MPCB, it currently operates 32 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) across the MMR, covering Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Panvel. Of these, 14 stations are operated through the BMC.

The real-time AQI data from these stations is displayed on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s online dashboard and broadcast through media platforms, it said.

In the statement, the MPCB said the action against RMCs followed a compliance survey that revealed several facilities were operating without adequate dust control systems, emission management mechanisms and mandatory statutory permissions.

In addition, 22 mobile air quality monitoring vans have been deployed across Maharashtra to identify pollution hotspots, transport corridors and industrial clusters. These vehicles have also been assessing emissions in areas with a high concentration of RMC units, and any violations detected would invite stringent environmental action, the MPCB warned.

The board said it had issued revised operational guidelines for RMC plants in October 2023 and had now begun reviewing their implementation on the ground.

During the compliance survey, four RMC units in Deonar and Govandi in Mumbai -- Om Global Operation, SSG Ltd, Rambha Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Unity Construction Pvt Ltd -- were ordered to shut operations, while three plants deposited bank guarantees of Rs 5 lakh each.

The MPCB also directed action against unauthorised metal furnaces operating in Sanjay Gandhi Nagar and Sion. These units in Mumbai have been instructed to cease operations, and the BMC has been asked to initiate dismantling measures.

Mumbai Port Trust authorities have been told to impose preventive restrictions in the Wadala-Mahim belt after emissions were detected during monitoring exercises.

The board said eight RMC units in Thane, six in Navi Mumbai, and one in Kalyan, besides four in Mumbai, were found violating norms and ordered to close, taking the total number of such facilities across the MMR to 19.

The MPCB said it has stepped up its pollution control campaign and will continue enforcement drives against non-compliant industries. Senior officials, including member secretary M M Devendra Singh, were personally involved in field inspections, and appeals have been made to industries to strictly adhere to regulatory norms.

Meanwhile, the BMC on Tuesday launched the Mumbai Air Network for Advanced Sciences (MANAS), an independent Artificial Intelligence-powered platform, to monitor the city's AQI and help tackle the worsening air quality situation.

Designed and implemented by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, the system will use low-cost AQI monitoring sensors to provide hyperlocal air quality data. Unlike the existing platforms run by the CPCB and state pollution control boards, the MANAS portal will not rely on conventional CAAQMS.

At present, Mumbai's AQI data is integrated with that of other major Indian cities on the CPCB's common platform 'Sameer'.

In the metropolis, 28 CAAQMS machines have been installed at various locations to track area-wise AQI levels. These machines analyse particulate matter and other micro-components in the air and display readings on the dashboard, with each unit covering an airshed within a 2-km radius. PTI ND SKL RSY