28 November,2025 05:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray on Friday criticised the Maharashtra government on Friday. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday criticised the Maharashtra government over what he described as an "alarming rise" in Mumbai's air pollution, claiming it was the result of an "explosion of corruption" and unplanned development carried out solely for the benefit of contractors, reported the PTI.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray also questioned the government's proposal to cut trees in the Tapovan area of Nashik for the construction of a âsadhu gram' - a temporary settlement for seers and saints during the 2026-27 Kumbh Mela.
Mumbai is currently experiencing a sharp deterioration in its Air Quality Index (AQI), prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to issue stop-work notices to 53 construction sites for contributing to dust pollution. On Friday, the Bombay High Court observed that pollution caused by construction activities could be controlled if mitigation guidelines were strictly enforced.
"Pollution has risen at an alarming rate in Mumbai, and reports indicate that the air has become hazardous," Uddhav Thackeray said. "Those in power may blame the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, but that has nothing to do with the situation here," according to the PTI.
A shield volcano, Hayli Gubbi, in Ethiopia's Afar region erupted on Sunday, sending an ash plume nearly 14 kilometres into the sky, which then drifted across the Red Sea towards the Arabian Peninsula and parts of the Indian subcontinent.
"This pollution is the explosion of corruption that has engulfed Mumbai and Maharashtra," Uddhav Thackeray alleged, as per the PTI.
He said that during his tenure as chief minister, he had halted the Aarey Metro car shed project and instead opted for the Kanjurmarg site. He accused the current government of increasing pollution by cutting trees in the Aarey forest and pushing forward developments that lack planning and prioritise contractors' profits, the news agency reported.
The city's AQI has now fallen into the âpoor' category, also affecting visibility.
Thackeray further claimed that there were development plans within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), a protected forest in the heart of Mumbai, describing it as a "major conspiracy".
Commenting on the proposed felling of trees in Nashik, he said Tapovan - believed to be the place where Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman lived during their exile - should not be disturbed.
"This cutting of trees is corruption carried out in the name of Hindutva. The BJP's Hindutva is fake, and these trees are being cut only to benefit contractors," Thackeray said, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
