Mumbai: After the city's air quality briefly turned worse than Delhi's, the Bombay High Court has called Mumbai's smog an emergency and ordered a clear action plan to cut dust and vehicle emissions.
In its observations, the court said dust from construction and emissions from vehicles are the main causes of pollution in Mumbai, and that urgent steps are needed.
Mumbai's air quality has slipped over recent days and was at times recorded as worse than Delhi's. In Delhi too, the air quality index around the AIIMS area stood at 255, in the 'poor' category, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.
In winter, falling temperatures and low wind speeds keep pollutant particles suspended in the air, worsening the smog. Construction activity, traffic and industrial emissions add to it.
Health experts say polluted air raises the risk of respiratory illness, asthma and heart disease. Children, the elderly and the unwell are advised to take special care.
Attention now turns to how the measures in the action plan submitted to the court will be enforced. Experts say dust-control rules at construction sites need to be tightened and vehicle emission checks stepped up.
At construction sites, water sprinkling and covering are mandatory to curb dust, but enforcement is patchy, which raises the dust load. Checking vehicle emissions and acting against old vehicles also helps cut pollution. Citizens can reduce their own footprint by using public transport and walking where possible.
Long-term, planned measures will matter more than one-off drives, experts say.
Clean air is a basic right.