Mumbai: BMC to relocate air quality units

SAFAR set up nine monitoring units in BMC’s jurisdiction, situated in areas prone to traffic-related emissions. Pic/Shadab Khan

As winter sets in, the BMC is making another effort to relocate air quality monitoring units installed by SAFAR to measure pollution levels. A meeting, scheduled soon according to SAFAR officials' availability, aims to address this. When city monitoring units displayed higher pollution last year, the MPCB flagged the issue to SAFAR, urging relocation from traffic-heavy spots. Despite attempts in January and February 2023, no resolution was reached.

SAFAR set up nine monitoring units in BMC's jurisdiction, situated in areas prone to traffic-related emissions, not reflecting accurate pollution levels as per MPCB's concerns. The monitors are located at BKC, Chembur, Worli, Colaba, Bhandup, Andheri, Borivli, Malad, and Mazgaon. With changing pollution levels, the BMC seeks to relocate these installations, prompting an upcoming meeting.

"The centres were initially placed in these locations to identify higher air pollution levels. However, the current data portrays an average pollution level for the city, which isn't accurate. Therefore, we need to adjust the locations to present a more accurate picture," said a BMC official.

He added that letters have been sent to the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), overseeing SAFAR, and emphasised the need to address this matter directly with SAFAR. While a meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, December 26, considering the year-end, it might be postponed to January to accommodate the availability of officials concerned.

On February 7, 2023, the BMC conducted a meeting after Mumbai's Air Quality Index surged, following MPCB's similar concerns. They requested the relocation of monitoring units, highlighting that SAFAR's CAAQMS installations were placed in areas with higher traffic-related emissions compared to other locations. However, the meeting between BMC, SAFAR, and the state pollution control board regarding the relocation of air monitoring units ended inconclusively.

The state government also pursued this matter. Deepak Kesarkar, the guardian minister, announced in November their intent to engage the central ministry due to equipment susceptibility to corrosion in Mumbai's salty and humid air, leading to inaccurate information.

V M Motghare, joint director (Air) at MPCB, expressed unawareness of such a meeting, while attempts to reach Dr R. Krishnan, director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.