The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti won the elections to the nagar parishad and nagar panchayat in Maharashtra due to money and muscle power, reported news agency IANS. The party in its mouthpiece, 'Saamana', said that if "these victories are to be bought with money, then the pride and honour of Maharashtra have been dragged through the dust. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra appears to be crawling, helpless before the money. This picture is dangerous for the country," reported IANS. The Saamana editorial sharply criticised the State Election Commission (SEC) for its perceived "inaction", describing the body as being in a state of "slumber" while instances of kidnapping, terror, and open money distribution took place across the state. The editorial claimed that the BJP has started a sole business of winning every election through dishonesty. "After the British, the BJP and its allies have looted the country the most. Elections are fought and won using that very looted money. Furthermore, a significant amount of 'drug money' was also used in the election. This raises questions about what our democracy is doing and how the 'Voter King' actually votes," reported IANS. According to the latest figures from the State Election Commission (SEC), the BJP has emerged as the single largest party, winning over 100 municipal president posts. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP have each secured more than 40 seats. In contrast, the combined opposition, including the Congress, Sharad Pawar’s NCP(SP), and Shiv Sena(UBT), managed to secure roughly 60 seats. This result mirrors the "pattern" seen in the recent Assembly elections, where the Mahayuti secured a similar landslide victory, said the editorial. "Game of money power" The Thackeray camp has characterised the Maharashtra local body elections as a "game of money power", alleging that in several municipal areas, the "market rate" for a single vote ranged from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000. In more competitive zones, it is claimed that the BJP pushed the rate as high as Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per vote, leading to internal friction within the ruling alliance. A specific incident was reported in Sindhudurg, where a public spat broke out between Shinde-faction MLA Nilesh Rane and BJP State President Ravindra Chavan over the distribution of funds. "Reports of coercion and electoral malpractice and voter intimidation in particular have surfaced from multiple districts. In Dharmabad (Nanded), allegations emerged that BJP office-bearers detained nearly 1,500 voters, including women, in a marriage hall to force them to accept bribes ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000. Those who refused were reportedly threatened. In Ambernath, police investigations were launched into allegations of bogus voting involving over 200 women brought in from neighbouring areas. In Panvel, discrepancies in voter lists were flagged, including one instance where 268 voters were allegedly listed with the same father's name,” said the editorial, reported IANS. The Thackeray camp has cited the local body elections held in the neighbouring state of Telangana, where the State Election Commission did not use EVMs but conducted on a ballot paper, resulting in a crushing defeat for the BJP. “In Telangana’s local bodies, the Congress made a strong surge and secured a major victory. Similarly, in Punjab’s local body elections, AAP surged ahead, leaving both the BJP and Congress behind. In both these states, despite the BJP playing a heavy game of money, the voters were not bought,” it said, reported IANS. The editorial observed that the way the elections are conducted and fought in Maharashtra raises a serious question of the integrity of the democratic process. As the state moves toward the next major electoral battle, the BMC elections in January 2026, the questions regarding electoral transparency and the influence of wealth in Maharashtra's politics will continue to intensify. (With inputs from IANS)
22 December,2025 02:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA motorman attached to Western Railway (WR) was run over while on duty at Virar Station near Mumbai on Saturday, officials said. According to official information, Motorman Dilip Kumar Sahu was deputed to perform Set No 702 and had reported for duty at Virar at 2.30 pm. He was engaged in shunting operations and was pulling the electric multiple unit (EMU) rake of Train No 93039 to Platform No 4A when the incident occurred. Around 8 pm, while crossing the tracks during the shunting activity, Sahu was knocked down by Train No 12903 (DOWN line). The incident was immediately reported by the loco pilot and train manager of the train to the station master at Virar. Sahu succumbed to his injuries, WR officials told mid-day.com. His funeral was completed at around 3.30 pm on Sunday. WR provides funeral assistance, ex-gratia and settlement benefits to Mumbai motorman’s family WR further stated that funeral assistance of Rs 30,000, being an on-duty (IOD) case, and an immediate relief amount of Rs 25,000 were handed over to the family by the welfare inspector at Churchgate. The railway administration has also initiated settlement-related procedures, including gratuity, group insurance of Rs 60,000, disbursement of the employee’s National Pension Scheme (NPS) contribution, and an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh. In addition, a compassionate appointment will be offered to one eligible family member. The family is scheduled to leave for their hometown on Monday morning for the final rites, officials told mid-day.com.
22 December,2025 02:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarShiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Sunday dismissed the opposition’s remarks on the outcome of the local body elections in Maharashtra, saying they believed only in “a set match”, while the Mahayuti’s victory was the result of grassroots work and development politics. “They believe in a set match only. We who work on the ground. The politics of development is being done under the leadership of CM Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde ji,” Shaina NC said while reacting to the poll results. VIDEO | Mumbai: On opposition remarks on Local Body polls results, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC says, “They believe in a set match only. We who work on the ground. The politics of development is being done under the leadership of CM Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde ji.”(Full video… pic.twitter.com/6lVkXZy84w — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2025 Her remarks came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, which also comprises the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the state, winning 207 posts of presidents of local bodies. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was restricted to a collective tally of just 44 in the Maharashtra local body elections. The final figures were shared by the state election commission (SEC) late on Sunday night. According to SEC, the BJP emerged on top by winning 117 posts of municipal presidents, followed by the Shiv Sena with 53 and the NCP with 37. Among the opposition parties, the Congress secured 28 posts, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) seven, and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) nine. Other parties registered with SEC bagged four seats, while 28 posts of municipal presidents went to unrecognised registered parties. Independents won five seats, the poll body said. 'Ensure Mahayuti’s victory in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls' Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, asked his party workers to ensure the Mahayuti’s victory in the upcoming Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls scheduled for January 15, cautioning them against complacency. Asserting that the Shiv Sena had won more seats than the combined total of MVA in the local body polls, Shinde said, “Everyone must work unitedly. The Mahayuti flag must be hoisted on the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.” He was speaking at a party event in Thane where several workers and leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) joined the Shiv Sena. Highlighting his tenure as chief minister, Shinde said he had taken major decisions related to City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) housing, floor space index (FSI) enhancement, removal of toll plazas, road and bridge projects, the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the ‘Third Mumbai’ growth centre. (With PTI inputs)
22 December,2025 02:12 PM IST | MumbaiThe Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking a CBI probe against NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, his daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule as well as his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for alleged illegal permissions given to the Lavasa hill station project in Pune. A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad noted that petitioner Nanasaheb Jadhav, a lawyer, failed to show any legal provision whereby a court, while exercising its civil jurisdiction, can pass a direction to the police to register a First Information Report. Jadhav's public interest litigation sought a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation to register a case against Sharad Pawar, Sule and Ajit Pawar for alleged illegal permissions given to construct a hill station at Lavasa in Pune district. In February 2022, the HC had refused to interfere when Jadhav had filed a petition seeking to declare the special permissions granted to Lavasa as illegal. The HC had, however, noted there seemed to be some exertion of influence and clout by Sharad Pawar and his daughter. In the fresh PIL filed in 2023 seeking a CBI probe, Jadhav said he had filed a complaint with the Pune police commissioner in December 2018 seeking a probe against Pawar and others, but the police took no action. In March this year, Sharad Pawar filed an intervention application opposing the PIL, claiming Jadhav had made similar or same allegations again and again. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
22 December,2025 01:56 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIThe Malvani police arrested a 37-year-old event organiser for allegedly cheating multiple car owners by offering to rent their luxury vehicles every month, only to mortgage those vehicles with banks and finance companies, swindling lakhs of rupees. Police said the accused took a Toyota Fortuner from a Malvani resident for Rs 60,000 per month, paid rent for a few months, later removed the GPS tracker, and pledged the vehicle with a finance firm. When the accused stopped responding, the owner complained to the Malvani police station. Recovered seven vehicles. Pics/Samiullah Khan During the probe, police arrested the accused — Ashish Kisan Jadhav, 36, an event manager from Thane — and seized the complainant’s Fortuner along with seven other luxury cars. The vehicles were stashed in sugarcane fields in the jurisdictions of the Sangli and Karad City police stations. The total value of the recovered vehicles is around Rs 1.01 crore. Further investigation is underway to identify more victims and possible accomplices.
22 December,2025 01:29 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMaharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said the saffron party's grassroots outreach across the state and development-oriented vision helped it emerge victorious in the Maharashtra local body elections, reported news agency PTI. The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP on Sunday swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, winning 207 posts of presidents in the local bodies. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was restricted to a collective tally of 44. The BJP won 117 posts of municipal presidents, Shiv Sena won 53, and the NCP won 37 posts. The Congress bagged 28, the NCP (SP) seven, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine. Addressing a party meeting in Kalyan town of Thane district on Sunday night, Chavan said, "Once the Maharashtra local body elections were announced, BJP workers went door to door, informing citizens about the welfare schemes of the Central and state governments. They earned people's trust, and this dedication has resulted in a decisive victory," reported PTI. People endorsed the development-oriented vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which made this victory possible, he said. The workers' dialogue meeting was organised in the backdrop of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Thane, with the objective of strengthening the organisation at the district level. Chavan said such dialogue sessions are crucial for dispelling misunderstandings among workers, motivating them and establishing direct communication between leaders, office bearers and grassroots workers, reported PTI. Similar meetings were held in Dombivli as part of the exercise. Maharashtra BJP president lauds contribution of office-bearers and workers The state BJP chief lauded the contribution of office-bearers, workers and the women's wing, saying the party's success in 134 of the 236 seats it contested reflected the commitment shown at the local level. "This victory is a symbol of the collective efforts of our organisation," he said, reported PTI. Chavan said the party aims to secure 51 per cent public support in Maharashtra. "For this, we will focus on direct contact with every citizen. The BJP is a strong organisation that works at the grassroots, and once a responsibility is given, our workers fulfil it with full dedication," he added, reported PTI. He said BJP workers effectively took government schemes to people's doorsteps, which had a positive impact on voters, citing the Ambernath and Badlapur municipal elections, where meticulous booth-level planning, ward-wise studies and detailed voter analysis helped the party. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2025 01:08 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe dream of segregating local and express trains is coming closer to reality, as the sixth line to Borivali is expected to be operational by late January 2026, with finishing work set to begin today. With this, mail express trains will no longer be operated on the local line between Bandra and Borivali, resulting in less congestion on Western Railway. “A 30-day block will be in place from December 20, 2025, in view of the sixth line work in the Borivali-Kandivali section. During this period, some trains will be short-terminated/originated, regulated, and rescheduled, and some trains will skip their scheduled halt at Borivali station,” a senior official said. Work is carried out to ensure express and local trains are segregated between Bandra and Borivali. Pics/By Special Arrangement The fifth line between Bandra Terminus and Borivali is already commissioned, while the sixth one — commissioned up to Goregaon in November 2022 and extended to Kandivali in October 2023 — is operational only between Bandra Terminus and Kandivali. It currently handles around 20 mail and express trains every day. After the completion of the Goregaon-Kandivali section, sixth line work will commence on the Kandivali-Borivali section. 20No. of express trains that ply on 6th line between Bandra Terminus and Kandivali daily Thirty-day block begins To carry out the work in connection with the sixth line, a block is being imposed from the night of December 20th/21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. As per details shared by Railways, eight Up trains and 10 Down trains will be rescheduled. Additionally, 112 Up trains and nine Down trains will be regulated during the period. One train will be cancelled, while two Down trains will be short-originated at intermediate stations. The work involves track slewing and insertion and removal of multiple crossovers at Kandivali and Borivali. Major works of the engineering, signalling, and overhead equipment will be carried out, which will impact train operations. Consequently, some suburban, passenger, and mail/express trains will be affected. The fifth line will remain suspended for passenger train operations, and speed restrictions will be imposed on other lines. Key benefits of sixth line Reduced congestion on existing lines: The sixth line adds extra track capacity on one of the world’s busiest suburban corridors. This helps spread rail traffic more evenly, easing overcrowding on the current tracks between Bandra Terminus and Borivali. Dedicated route for long-distance trains: Once complete, the line will allow long-distance mail and express trains to run on their own track separate from local suburban services, reducing bottlenecks and freeing up space for local trains on the fast lines. Better punctuality and reliability: Segregating traffic means fewer delays caused by mixing fast suburban locals with slower or stopping trains. Both suburban and long-distance services can keep closer to their schedules. Increased train frequency over time: With the extra track available, Railways can potentially run more local services in the future — benefiting commuters between Borivali, Bandra, and beyond. Some reports even suggest an increase in overall services by roughly 20 per cent once the new infrastructure is fully operational. Improved overall capacity: The sixth line expands overall corridor capacity, accommodating steady growth in passenger numbers across the western suburbs
22 December,2025 01:07 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarOver 300 parents of Witty School students in Borivali have voiced concerns over steep and uneven fee hikes, with some increases reportedly ranging between 60 per cent and 100 per cent when children move from Sr KG to Std I. Parents allege that children studying in the same class are being charged different fees. “Initial complaints to the school principal went unresolved, and meetings with the Deputy Country Director revealed that the primary and secondary schools are treated as separate entities, which was cited as justification for higher fees. These details were mentioned only in fine print during admissions. We were verbally assured that the hike would be around 40 per cent, but in reality, it went up to 100 per cent for some parents,” a parent said. Parents also allege a lack of transparency. “There is no transparency, no mention of fee structures on the website, nor notice boards,” said another parent. Seeking redress, the parents met Borivali MLA Sanjay Upadhyay, who wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Education Minister Dada Bhuse. In his letter, Upadhyay flagged arbitrary fee hikes allegedly in violation of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Fees Regulation) Act, 2011, and the constitutional principle of equality, urging a probe and revocation of the school’s no-objection certificate (NOC). Education department officials confirmed action will be taken. mid-day tried to reach out to school authorities, but received no response. “In Maharashtra, fees can be regulated by getting approval from the PTA executive committees after verifying all documents presented by the school. Typically, a fee hike is permitted up to 15 per cent in two years, depending upon the surplus a school has, and after they show proper justification. Moreover, apart from RTE pupils, the act also calls for all students to be charged a uniform fee,” said Adv Anubha Sahai, president, India-wide parents’ association. Parents demand >> Fee hikes regulated as per government norms>> Transparency for students in the same class>> Clear 10-year fee progression
22 December,2025 01:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarThere is an atmosphere of enthusiasm across Maharashtra, and all party workers must get to work with full strength for the upcoming BMC elections 2026, Shiv Sena leader, Yuva Sena chief, and MLA Aaditya Thackeray appealed. Elections are being held for 29 municipal corporations in the state, and how many wards are won will depend on our hard work, he said. “The time we have been waiting for over the past four years has finally arrived.” Instructing that the presentation made in Worli should reach everyone, he stressed the need to take the development work carried out by the party directly to the people. He also alleged that large-scale misinformation is being spread through digital platforms and that the Shinde faction and the BJP are misleading the people. The issue of Rohingyas is often raised in Mumbai, but the real question is what exactly the central government is doing, Aaditya Thackeray noted. “They say they have done work, but we must firmly present the work we have done before the people,” he said. He expressed confidence that if workers dedicate three hours each in the morning and evening, they will receive abundant blessings from the people. He also clarified that ‘vote theft’ is not merely a campaign issue, and that the truth behind it must be conveyed to the people. He said it is everyone’s collective responsibility to ensure the election of the candidates nominated by Uddhav Thackeray, adding that the ‘mashaal’ (torch) is their party symbol and a symbol of their struggle. “Come what may, we are determined to win the BMC elections 2026,” Aaditya Thackeray asserted. BJP-led Mahayuti sweeps local body polls in Maharashtra, Opposition routed Meanwhile, the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP has swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats by winning 207 posts of presidents of local bodies on Sunday, restricting the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a collective tally of 44. The final figures were shared by the State Election Commission (SEC) in the night. According to the SEC, the BJP won 117 posts of municipal presidents, Shiv Sena won 53, and the NCP won 37 posts. The Congress bagged 28, the NCP (SP) seven, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine. The parties registered with the SEC bagged four seats, while 28 seats of municipal presidents went to unrecognised registered parties. Five seats were won by Independents, the poll body said.
22 December,2025 11:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronak MastakarAfter the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra registered a decisive victory in the Maharashtra local body elections, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale termed it a "great success," saying that the coalition has secured a good result in the entire municipal polls, reported news agency ANI. "The Mahayuti has achieved a great success and it has secured a very good result in the entire municipal election... The mayor of Mumbai and Pune will be from the Mahayuti, and the Mahayuti will achieve 90 per cent success everywhere... We should get 14-15 seats; that is what we are striving for," Athawale told reporters. In response to the results, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said that the results clearly demonstrated public endorsement of the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Speaking to ANI, the Shiv Sena leader said, "In the 2017 local body elections, the Shiv Sena had only 27 mayors. In 2025, we won at more than 60 locations and are hopeful of winning at nearly 70. This is due to the leadership of Dy CM Eknath Shinde, who has campaigned tirelessly on the ground. People have chosen to vote on development and not on surnames. Those who believe they can conduct their politics from home have been required to remain at home. In this election, it has been proven that only the politics of performance works." Echoing similar sentiments, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan stated, "There have been elections for the Nagar Panchayat in 18 places. Of those 18 places, the BJP has won in 10... We have got a very good result here. The voters have also supported us. There are many reasons for losing the elections... People have different opinions... But we have accepted defeat where we have not won... The Chief Minister has been to all the big cities in every district, and we have won everywhere," reported ANI. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya highlighted numerical gains, saying, "In the municipal council elections in Maharashtra, the BJP secured a majority in 129 seats, while Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena managed to get a majority in only eight municipal corporations. The BMC elections 2026 are on January 15th; this is what the situation will be like for Uddhav Thackeray and the other younger Thackeray who has joined him," reported ANI. At the grassroots level, Shiv Sena candidate Om Prakash Khursaday, who won the Malegaon Nagar Panchayat election in Washim district, said, "This victory belongs to the people who blessed us with their votes. Our leader, Eknath Shinde, arrived here before the election to attend a meeting. This victory belongs to the people more than us." In Baramati, the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) winning candidate, Sachin Satav, thanked voters for a decisive mandate, saying, "The people of Baramati have elected me with a huge majority today, but this victory comes with a great responsibility. For the next five years, under the guidance of Dy CM Ajit Pawar, we will work for the overall development of the entire city..." Reacting to the results, state minister Sanjay Shirsat said the polls reflected the hard work of party workers. He said, "These are elections of the workers... The remarkable thing was that Dy CM Eknath Shinde worked diligently every day during the election campaign. We admit that we weren't fully prepared; if we had started planning a few days earlier, we could have won more seats." Fadnavis thanks people Earlier on Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis thanked the people of the state for placing their trust in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Mahayuti alliance, and for giving them a decisive victory in the recently concluded local body polls. "First of all, I thank the people of Maharashtra. The people of the state have given massive support to the BJP and the Mahayuti. I had already predicted that, among the municipal council chairpersons elected, 75% would be from the Mahayuti, and the people have delivered exactly that verdict. It has also become clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party is the number one party," he said in a press conference in Nagpur. He also congratulated his alliance partners, including Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and the BJP leaders on the party's performance. Elections on 286 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats were held in two phases, as some councils went to polls on December 2, while the remaining cast their votes on December 20. Multiple key local bodies, including Baramati, Ambernath, went to polls. Two councils saw candidates being elected unopposed too, in Angar in Solapur and Dondaicha in Dhule. Around 129 municipal council chairpersons have been elected from the BJP. Together, all three alliance parties (Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) account for 75 per cent of the city council chairpersons. In terms of corporators, over 3300 candidates of the BJP have been elected, according to Chief Minister Fadnavis. (With inputs from ANI)
22 December,2025 10:26 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentHaze was observed across Mumbai during Monday morning, giving way to mainly clear skies by afternoon and evening, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city recorded a minimum temperature of 20.3 degrees Celsius in Colaba, while Santacruz experienced a cooler 15.2 degrees Celsius, with no rainfall reported at either location. As per the Sameer App, the Air Quality Index (AQI) shows improvement compared to the past couple of days, with the city recording an overall AQI of 98, classified as satisfactory. While generally safe, sensitive groups may experience minor breathing discomfort. AQI across Mumbai Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC): 117Borivali: 80Byculla: 119Andheri: 100Chembur: 108Ghatkopar: 129Kandivali: 97Kherwadi, Bandra East: 121Bhandup West: 86 Mumbai’s air pollution triggers rise in respiratory illnesses This December, Mumbai has consistently recorded concentrations of PM2.5 — considered the worst pollutant —higher than India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), especially in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Byculla and Mazagaon, Chakala in Andheri East, Deonar, Ghatkopar, Kherwadi in Bandra East, Khindipada in Bhandup, and Malad, according to data available from continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS), registered with the Central Pollution Control Board. mid-day assessed data for PM2.5 concentrations in Mumbai's air for the first two weeks of December. Every day, the average concentration of PM2.5 was higher than 60 µg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre), ranging to an average of over 100µg/m³. Hotspots such as BKC, Kherwadi, and Byculla have recorded maximum PM2.5 levels exceeding 200µg/m³ Why is it important While the overall AQI of the city is noted to have improved this winter in comparison to 2023 and 2022, Mumbaikars have continued to experience the adverse impacts of bad air quality, leading to respiratory problems ranging from sore throat to respiratory infections, increased asthmatic symptoms, and fatigue. PM2.5 is considered the worst pollutant. These are tiny particles that human beings can inhale. They settle deep in lungs. They can enter the bloodstream, causing long-term heart problems and even stroke. In contrast, PM10 is not a pollutant that can immediately be inhaled, and leads to other problems such as irritation to the eyes, damaging skin and hair. While according to NAAQS, levels up to 60 µg/m³ are acceptable, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), acceptable levels of PM2.5 are at an annual average of 5 µg/m³ and a 24-hour average of 15 µg/m.
22 December,2025 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
