NAVI MUMBAI: With winter approaching and air quality expected to worsen, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has warned builders that construction sites flouting air-pollution norms will face stop-work orders and could be sealed.
Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde issued the warning at a high-level joint meeting with urban planners, executive engineers, architects, builders and developers. The aim, he said, is to keep the city’s air from deteriorating during the colder months, when dust and pollutants tend to hang low.
Rules Every Site Must Follow
Under the standard operating procedures laid down by the civic body, construction sites must:
- Put up barricades at least 30 feet high around the site
- Fully cover buildings under construction with green netting
- Set up tyre-washing facilities at exits so vehicles do not carry mud onto roads
- Install air-quality sensors and display AQI boards for the public at every site
- Stop using drinking water for construction work or dust suppression
Sites found using drinking water for construction or dust control will be sealed immediately, the civic body said.
Joint Inspections Under Way
Somnath Kekan, Director of Urban Planning, said joint inspections by various departments have begun. Builders who break the rules will face strict penalties, including heavy fines and work stoppages.
Dr Shinde pointed out that poor air in winter hits children, senior citizens and people with breathing problems the hardest. He urged developers to see environmental protection as a social responsibility and not merely a matter of business.