Shiv Sena (UBT) demands AQI monitors at all govt construction sites in Mumbai

Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Ankit Prabhu raised the issue on Friday. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE

Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded that all government-owned construction sites, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) ongoing roads and bridges construction works, display real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) monitors, similar to the mandatory requirement for private construction sites.

Sena (UBT) corporator Ankit Prabhu raised the issue in BMC General Body's special budget meeting on Friday, when the house was discussing the Rs 80,952 crore budget presented by former municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani in February to the newly elected Standing Committee.

Long overdue

Ankit Prabhu, Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator: ‘This will lend the long overdue and necessary seriousness to environmental projects, expenditure of the environment department, and long-term continuity of work. So many things promised by the administration have not yet materialised, such as the installation of misting machines at public places. Where does the environment budget get spent every year? At present, BMC's budget shows a 37 per cent allocation for environment expenditure in the capex budget. However, these are not exclusively environment-related projects. Any project that has an aspect related to the environment gets tagged under this budget head.'

Key demands made

• All government construction sites should also have public-facing AQI monitors
• A statutory environment committee should be set up
• All vehicles assigned to elected representatives in key positions and all bureaucrats should be electric vehicles to set an example for Mumbaikars to follow; these include cars of the mayor, group leaders, committee chairmen, and all senior bureaucrats, including municipal commissioner, additional municipal commissioners, and assistant commissioners

Other demands

• Solar energy should be used at all bus depots, railway stations, and government buildings
• BMC should commit to stage-wise implementation of the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP), "which has now become a titular document", according to Prabhu