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BMC takes strictest measures to control Mumbai air pollution, issues notices to 106 construction companies to stop work

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration is continuously taking multi-pronged action to control air pollution in Mumbai. As part of the measures and initiatives taken under the guidance of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani and Additional Municipal Corporation Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr Avinash Dhakne, it has already been made mandatory to install ‘Air Quality Sensors’ i.e. ‘Air Quality Measurement System’ at the sites of all ongoing construction projects in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. Meanwhile, orders have already been given to install ‘Reference Grade Air Quality Monitors’ in major projects costing over Rs 1,000 crore. However, it is being observed that ‘Air Quality Measurement System’, which is mandatory as per the relevant orders, has not been installed at some construction sites. All the officers concerned have been directed to immediately issue stop work notices on all such projects. Accordingly, ‘Stop Work’ notices have been issued to 106 construction sites till Thursday evening. This includes private construction sites as well as railway bridge construction, SRA projects, MHADA projects, etc. Regular inspections are underway in this regard and the process of issuing notices to the remaining construction sites that violate the rules is also underway. In this regard, as per the information provided by the ‘Environment and Climate Change’ department of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, orders have been issued to immediately issue notices and submit compliance reports to those construction sites where the ‘Air Quality Measurement System’ is not yet operational. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration has been continuously following up to install this system since May 2025. However, in cases where there is no response even after repeated follow-ups, immediate stop work notices are being issued. Meanwhile, the next court hearing of the air pollution case will be on Friday, January 23, 2026. The Municipal Corporation administration has ordered all departmental teams to continue site visits and inspections as per the pre-planned action plan. Under this, emphasis is being placed on physical inspection, record observation and immediate action. This action is not limited to the construction sector only, but the Public Health Department has been directed to issue ‘stop work’ notices to those bakery units that do not adhere to the rules. Strict action will be taken in case of violation of smoke, fuel consumption and emission standards. The Municipal Corporation administration is reiterating its stand that there will be no compromise to improve the air quality in Mumbai, however, cooperation will be given to those who follow the rules, while strict action will be taken against those who violate the rules. Due to the multi-layered measures implemented by the Municipal Corporation administration, the air quality in Mumbai is continuously improving, and the air quality at most places is in the ‘satisfactory’ or ‘moderate’ category. Deputy Commissioner (Environment and Climate Change) Avinash also said that this action of the Municipal Corporation to control air pollution will continue regularly and more effectively. At the same time, Mr. Kate has also informed that 106 constructions which have not installed ‘Air Quality Mapping System’ by the evening of Thursday 22nd January 2026 have been given notice to stop work immediately. He has also informed that these constructions include the construction of a railway bridge in the Shiv area, the construction of the MHADA project in the H-East section and the ‘SRA’ project in the ‘K-East’ section. At present, a total of 28 ‘Continuous Ambient Air Quality Survey Centres’ (CAAQMS) are functioning in Mumbai. Out of which 14 centres are under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, 9 centres are functioning under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and 5 centres are functioning under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. All these centres are Quality Assurance Centres (CAAQMS) and follow national standards and protocols for measurement, calibration, quality assurance and data validation as per the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board. The data available through these centres is also available on the Central Pollution Control Board website as well as on ‘Sameer’ and ‘Bharmandhwani App’. On this occasion, the Municipal Corporation administration is once again appealing to the citizens to use this official app to view the air quality data in their area. The administration is once again appealing to them to avoid burning garbage in the open and cooperate with the efforts of the Municipal Corporation.

Maharashtra

Senior IPS Officers Transferred in Maharashtra; Key Changes in Mumbai Police Leadership

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Mumbai: (By Kamar Ansari) In a major reshuffle within the Maharashtra Police, senior IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, whose life inspired the Bollywood film 12th Fail, has been appointed as the new Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Mumbai.

Sharma, a 2005-batch IPS officer, has previously served as DCP Zone-1 and Additional Commissioner of Police (West Region) in Mumbai. He has also served with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). His appointment is being seen as a significant move in strengthening Mumbai’s law and order administration.

In another key transfer, Anil Kumbhare, who was serving as Joint CP (Traffic), has been appointed as the new Joint Commissioner of Police of the Crime Branch, Mumbai.

Senior IPS officer Rajesh Pradhan of the 2003 batch will now head the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Mumbai.

Meanwhile, 2004-batch IPS officer Sussairaj Jayakumar, who was serving as Joint CP (Administration), Mumbai, has been appointed as the new Special Inspector General of Force-1, Maharashtra. Jayakumar has earlier served in Mumbai Police as DCP, Additional CP and Joint CP, and began his policing career as ASP in Malegaon.

Another senior officer, Satya Narayan Chaudhary, who was serving as Joint CP (Law and Order), has now been transferred as Joint CP (Traffic), Mumbai.

Additionally, 2004-batch IPS officer Pravin Padwal, who was serving as IG (Training), has been appointed as Inspector General of Police, Nashik Range.

The reshuffle is considered an important administrative move aimed at strengthening policing, crime control, traffic management and internal administration across Mumbai and Maharashtra Police departments.

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Maharashtra

Maha Vikas Aghadi should form a task force to revise voter lists in Maharashtra on the model of Bengal: Raees Sheikh

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Mumbai: A day after the Election Commission announced the Comprehensive Audit of Voter Lists (SIR) in Maharashtra, Samajwadi Party MLA from Bhiwandi East Raees Sheikh has urged Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders to form a state-level task force to monitor the process and take steps to ensure that the incident of voter exclusion in West Bengal does not repeat itself. The SIR process led to the defeat of the Trinamool Congress in Bengal.

In a letter to Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) state president Shashi Kant Shinde, MLA Raees Sheikh said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi should constitute a task force to guide voters, train Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and coordinate with the Election Commission. The SIR process in Bihar and West Bengal has resulted in the exclusion of a large number of voters, especially voters from tribal, Dalit, minority and weaker sections. 68 lakh voters in Bihar and 91 lakh voters in West Bengal have been excluded in this process. Maharashtra may face a similar situation if opposition parties do not take timely action. “In the recent West Bengal assembly elections, BJP won 95 seats while Trinamool Congress won 51 seats in constituencies where 25,000 voters were excluded during the SIR process, leading to TMC’s defeat,” MLA Raees Sheikh claimed. He added that under the SIR initiative, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit voters’ homes between June 30 and July 29. “Voters will need help in completing the necessary documents, understanding the new voter registration process and the objection registration process. Booth Level Officers (BLAs) of all the allied parties and coordinating with the state Chief Electoral Officer and the Central Election Commission. Maha Vikas Aghadi must take immediate steps in this regard. Otherwise we will not be able to stop the ruling party’s vote rigging. The proposed state-level task force should include representatives of all allies in the alliance.”

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Maharashtra

Joint site inspection to be conducted to effectively implement mosquito control measures, Ashwini Bhide directs

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Various agencies in Mumbai should cooperate in providing access to the Pest Control Department team during site visits in mosquito control measures. Mosquito control measures should be effectively implemented by providing necessary support to the Pest Control Department in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. Besides, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed that the objective should be to reduce the number of patients through preventive measures against monsoon diseases by the Municipal Corporation.

A review meeting of the Mosquito Control Committee was held at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters today (14 May 2026) under the chairmanship of Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner (Municipal Commissioner’s Office) Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Uday, Executive Health Officer Dr. Daksha Shah, Pesticide Officer Amrit Suryavanshi were present in the meeting along with representatives of various government and semi-government organizations of Mumbai. Senior officers and representatives of government, semi-government organizations from Central Public Works Department, Mahada, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Mumbai Port Trust, Navy, Air Force, BEST, Postal Department, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dairy Department, Mahavataran, LIC, Airport Authority, Public Works Department, NTC attended the meeting. Obstacles in the access of the pest control team to places like dilapidated buildings, grassy areas, mill plots and containment areas of various agencies should be removed. There is a need to take mosquito control measures here with joint efforts. This will make it possible to control the increasing number of patients due to monsoon diseases. It has been observed that mosquito control measures have not been implemented for 6,160 water tanks in the premises of 21 agencies in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. A joint inspection visit should be organized in collaboration with the Pesticides Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and various agencies. Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed that various agencies should make joint efforts to implement preventive measures at mosquito breeding sites by May 31, 2026.

Training of over 5000 personnel at construction sites completed
Large-scale reconstruction of buildings is underway in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. Security officers and workers are being trained to implement mosquito control measures at construction project sites. More than 5000 personnel have been trained in mosquito control measures in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area. A WhatsApp group has also been created for communication and coordination between security officers and the pest control department. As part of the monsoon measures, the pest control department has been conducting a drive since February to personally visit various establishments and inspect the covers installed on water tanks. During the inspection, it was observed that the covers of the water tanks were not in good condition and were not installed properly. It was also found that the work of removing obstructions and materials has not been completed. Engineering measures need to be implemented at some places. Various government and semi-government institutions have been directed to implement mosquito control measures before the monsoon through site visit campaigns. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has directed that the mosquito control measures should be completed in a planned manner by 31 May 2026 through a joint campaign.

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