Drunks light up parts of dumping ground ‘for fun’

Though the police has filed an FIR against three unknown people who are allegedly involved in lighting the fire at the Deonar dump yard, the site is still vulnerable to more such incidents due to lack of guards.
Just a day after the Maharashtra chief minister declared an investigation into allegations of sabotage, locals have been found lighting a fire at the site just for ‘fun’. This raises doubts as to whether the police will be able to stop such activities.

Fire worsens Mumbai pollution levels

On Monday the air pollution levels in Mumbai were recorded higher than Delhi which has been in the news due to its high air pollution levels. The information was received from SAFAR and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Environmentalists have blamed the worsened conditions on the continuous emission of smoke from the Deonar dumping ground for the past few days.
The city’s air quality index (AQI) on Monday read 320 ug/m3, which again falls under the ‘very poor’ category as per the guideline of World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the pollution level of Delhi, the most polluted city of the world, according to WHO, experienced a sudden decline in the pollution levels. The capital recorded ‘moderate’ air pollution with 180 ug/m3 in AQI on the same day. In fact, Pune also recorded low AQI with 200 ug/m3 AQI. This is the fourth consecutive day that Mumbai has recorded ‘very poor’ air quality.

Post-Diwali, city air is still ‘poor’

Diwali may have ended, but its effects are still looming over the city. Though air quality has improved by few points, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), on Saturday Mumbai recorded a ‘poor’ air quality level with an air quality index (AQI) of around 240, which is categorised as ‘Increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals especially children and the elderly.’

Up in smoke

Severalof the 60 CCTV cameras installed in city’s industrialunits to monitorpollution lie defunct; GPCB issues notices, takes no action
Thick smoke rises menacingly from the chimney of an industrial unit in the city. It spreads to nearby areas, permeating the respiratory tracts of unwary Amdavadis and increasing their mortality by causing respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular diseases. This could easily have been prevented had Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) properly implemented its plan to install CCTV cameras to keep a watch over industrial units and monitor emissions.