Mumbai ranks third most polluted city in world; High Court raps officials over pollution orders

Mumbai is now ranked the third most polluted city in the world, according to IQAir's report. The city's air quality has deteriorated sharply. In just one week, Mumbai has slipped from fifth place to third. The IQAir figures raise concern over pollution.

Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) stands at 166, and the city is among 122 cities on the list. Rising temperatures, slowing winds and humidity are said to have driven up pollution. Experts also fear that the effects of El Nino could push pollution higher still. Increased smoke and haze have affected visibility in the city. As a result, the question of Mumbaikars' health has now come to the fore.

The Bombay High Court has expressed concern that pollution levels in Mumbai have risen above those of Delhi. The court asked how the officials responsible for enforcing pollution control measures could sleep peacefully when people are suffering from pollution and conditions are like an emergency.

The High Court has directed the Municipal Commissioner, along with the Commissioner of the pollution control board, to appear at the next hearing on October 26. The court's orders to curb noise and air pollution during festivals were not implemented. The court pulled up the Mumbai Municipal Corporation's pollution control board and the police administration over this.

The High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the bursting of firecrackers on public roads and registered a public interest litigation. The court said the police are working at a very slow pace in implementing its orders to prevent noise pollution and to control firecrackers during festivals.

The High Court also warned that officials who are negligent in their duty will be held accountable. It has directed the Police Commissioner to hold a meeting of the officers in charge of all police stations in Mumbai so that the orders are enforced very strictly. The Municipal Commissioner and the Commissioner of the pollution control board must appear at the October 26 hearing and report what steps have been taken to implement the orders.

The court also remarked: are the officials breathing the same air as we do, or is there some different air for them that they are not even aware of? The High Court made it clear that it does not want a situation in which Mumbaikars have to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) before stepping out of their homes.