Mumbai: A detailed discussion was held today in the State Legislative Council on the issue of increasing pollution in Mumbai. While there has been growing concern among citizens about air quality in recent months, the government has claimed a reduction in pollution levels this year.
Speaking on this, while providing information from the state's environment department, Pankaja Munde stated, “Compared to last year, the average pollution level in Mumbai has decreased this year. Preliminary data shows that the air quality is improving due to various measures.” She clarified that effective use of technology is being made to control pollution.
The main sources of pollution in Mumbai are construction projects, the increasing number of vehicles, industrial emissions, and road dust. To control all these factors, the government has prepared an action plan. It was informed that strict adherence to rules at construction sites, water spraying, use of nets to prevent dust, and vehicle inspection campaigns are being conducted.
This year, for the first time, an artificial intelligence (AI) based monitoring system is being used to control pollution. Through this system, the air quality, dust particle levels, and pollution levels in various parts of the city are measured in real-time. It is claimed that immediate measures can be taken in areas where pollution has increased.
However, questions have been raised by the opposition parties regarding this data. “Although it is claimed that pollution has decreased, how much have the citizens actually benefited from it?” this question was raised. There was also a demand to focus on long-term measures.
Meanwhile, the government promised to increase awareness campaigns for pollution control, promote public transport, and enhance green initiatives. It was also clarified that this issue is extremely important for the health of Mumbaikars, and more concrete steps will be taken in the coming period.