Maharashtra: Smog engulfs Mumbai as air quality worsens

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 28 (ANI): A dense layer of smog enveloped several parts of Mumbai on Friday, including the Bandra-Kurla Complex area, as pollution levels continue to rise in Maharashtra's capital.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index at Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, was recorded at 152 at 7 am.
In other parts of Mumbai, AQI was recorded as Chembur (138), Kurla (122), Mazgaon (134), Malad West (136) and Ghatkopar (139).

A senior citizen who was out for a jog in Bandra told ANI, "Pollution has risen steadily over the years, yet the government has taken no meaningful action, making it increasingly difficult for us to even breathe."

Sheryl, a local here, who was out cycling in the area, said," It's been extremely polluted since last week, and I'm finding it really difficult to go cycling."

Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday decided to lift all restrictions under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect, after Delhi's air quality showed improvement over the last three days, the release said.
While CAQM has directed authorities to intensify actions under Stage I and Stage II of GRAP to ensure that pollution levels do not rise again.
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to examine the matter related to the problem of increasing air pollution in Delhi NCR on a regular basis starting Monday.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also agreed with the submissions of amicus (court-appointed lawyer) Senior Advocate Aprajita Singh, who sought an urgent hearing in the matter, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
While acknowledging that the problem of air pollution is "definitely an issue that every resident in Delhi NCR is facing, the Court also remarked that it doesn't have a magic wand to quickly resolve the issue, which is caused not by one but various reasons.
The apex court added that each reason or cause of the increase in air pollution in Delhi must be identified first. Only then, the Court noted, will we be able to find solutions to deal with each of those causes. (ANI)