Background:

The Bombay High Court, in a suo moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning air pollution in Mumbai, directed joint inspections by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) at seven major public project sites. The court’s attention was drawn to these sites generating dust and contributing to air pollution in Mumbai. These include significant projects like road concretization, the bullet train site, and various infrastructure ventures across the city.

Arguments of Both Parties:

Senior advocates representing the case highlighted the need for stringent monitoring and emphasized that measuring the Air Quality Index (AQI) alone is inadequate. They stressed the importance of monitoring specific pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO. Concerns were raised regarding insufficient AQI data in several wards, urging a more comprehensive monitoring system.

Advocates representing the state assured the court of steps taken to monitor air quality, citing the presence of monitoring stations installed by various bodies. They pledged to ensure accurate AQI data collection and proposed a dedicated complaint mechanism for pollution, including a mobile app that registers complaints and tracks actions taken.

Court Analysis:

The Bombay High Court’s directives focused on multiple facets of combating air pollution in Mumbai. It emphasized the necessity of stringent compliance with pollution control norms at project sites and the urgency to bring down the AQI to a desired level. The court proactively sought plans from authorities like the CPCB and MPCB for effective measurement and monitoring of air pollution. Furthermore, it urged the state government to consider and respond to a comprehensive report on reducing road transport emissions within a stipulated timeframe.