Mumbai: BMC slaps fine of Rs 2 lakh each on two construction firms for causing pollution

BMC headquarters. File Pic

Stop-work notices have been issued to 859 construction sites in Mumbai in the last two months and a fine of Rs 2 lakh each has been imposed on two construction firms for violating norms aimed at curbing air pollution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

Show-cause notices were served to 603 construction sites and notices were issued to a total of 2,955 constructions for not following the guidelines during this period, it said in a release, reported PTI.

A fine of Rs 2 lakh each was imposed on two companies in the Grant Road area on Friday for violating the guidelines, the civic body added, reported PTI.

As the Air Quality Index of Mumbai worsened after the monsoon ended, the civic body on October 25 issued guidelines for the mitigation of air pollution and ordered construction firms to use sprinklers and fogging machines at their work sites to suppress dust, reported PTI.

Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appealed to people not to dump garbage in drains and said it is planning punitive action against violators, reported PTI.

The city civic body collected 1,042 metric tonnes of debris and 139 tonnes of solid waste in the last fortnight under the 'deep cleaning' campaign, reported PTI.

It has been observed that people are frequently throwing garbage in drains of Mumbai after the deep cleaning drive, a BMC release on Wednesday said, adding that dumping waste in a drain blocks the wastewater drainage, reported PTI.

"People should not throw garbage again in the area where the cleanliness drive has been carried out, otherwise the cleaning efforts become futile. People should not throw waste in drains at any place," it said, reported PTI.

The civic administration is considering taking strict punitive action against violators, the BMC said, reported PTI.
Around 3,700 workers were employed for the deep cleaning drive, besides 33 earth-moving machines, 148 dumpers, 21 compactors, 69 water tankers, nine road sweeping machines, seven misting machines, six suction machines, and three litter picker machines, reported PTI.

Roads, footpaths, gutters and drains are being cleaned under this campaign, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)