The BMC has replaced conventional road-cleaning machines with 29 dust suction machines after concerns that the earlier equipment was spreading dust during cleaning, our report stated.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakne, said recently, 26 machines were operational, while the remaining three would be functional by next week. In an  appeal which we think people should heed as it is easy, sensible and necessary, he urged citizens to avoid unnecessary use of private vehicles and bursting firecrackers, stressing that tackling air pollution required collective responsibility.