MUMBAI 2010 – A pollution drain!

Mumbai Backwaters.

Mumbai is the most populous city in India, the second most populous city in the world and according to WHO, it is next only to Kolkata and Delhi as one of the top ten most polluted cities of the world. Mumbai, being the commercial capital of India has been a destination for all types of population groups such as literates, illiterates, skilled, unskilled and people from all walks of life. Currently, Mumbai’s population stands at 18 million, making it one of the most populous metropolises in the world.

A recent report on air pollution and its sources in mega cities prepared by National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and sponsored by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that construction activity, including paved and unpaved road dust is responsible for as much as 38% of the emission load of particulate matter. Power plants are the second biggest culprits accounting for 20.99% of air pollution, followed by landfill open burning at 10.84%. Heavy duty diesel vehicles contribute to 3.42% of emissions.

There are approximately 40,000 small and big industries in the city of which 32 have been classified as hazardous. Industries in the air polluting category include textile mills, chemical, pharmaceutical, Engineering and foundry units. Pollution particles contain microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems which includes increasing respiratory symptoms, coughing or suffocation, development of chronic bronchitis etc. The air in Mumbai also has higher values of particulate matter exceeding current standards all through the year, except during the monsoon.

If you take a walk down on a street in Mumbai, you are sure to find pollution that has never been seen before. This problem is something that needs to be tackled with great impetus and it is vital as well as essential that individuals should find a suitable way to solve this insidious problem.