pollution in mumbai – The Metrognome

The BMC’s environmental status report for Mumbai and an independent report by city-based NGO reveal disturbing pollution levels in Mumbai.

by Praja Foundation, Mumbai

Mumbai is home to 12.44 million (enough to fill the Wankhede stadium approximately 376 times) people, today. Every sixth Mumbaikar hails from a slum.The net waste production of our city is over 10,060 MT (Million Tonnes) of garbage everyday. The waste is disposed at the Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds,both of which have been due for closure since more than five years now. Cars on Mumbai roads, cause untold congestion, air and noise pollution.Toxic nitrogen dioxide (causes acid-rain, and ozone layer depletion resulting in hotter summers) and Suspended Particulate Matter levels are rising every day.

Water contamination

Water contamination levels in Mumbai reached an all time high at 19.9% in the 2012-2013 period,then,dipped to 10.84% in 2013-2014. C-ward leads in level of water contamination, followed by L-ward. Water is most cont amina ted during monsoon, bec ause of bacteriological content. Results of this are reflected in health. L-ward reported highest number of Diarrhoea cases:11,967 (2012-2013) and 9,631 (2013-2014). Water contamination in M/W, L and N ward has been constant through the last three year period,reflecting badly on the ward’s efforts to deal with contamination. G/S and H/E ward managed to reduce levels of contamination greatly this year, while C-ward which had the highest level of water contamination in 2012-2013,has managed to come back down to its 2011- 2012 level.

Sea water

The Coastal sea water shows remarkably high levels of Disolved Oxygen (DO),Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Fecal Coliform.At high BOD levels, organisms like leeches and sludge worms become numerous.While organisms like caddis fly larvae and mayfly nymphs which are significant food for several fish (trout, crayfish,salamander, frog, bats) and water bird species,die.The presence of high levels of Fecal coliform proves that high levels of human and animal waste is dumped in the water. Fecal coliform attracts dangerous waterborne diseases such as giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis (diseases of the intestine).

Landfills

Most of Mumbai’s daily waste goes to Dumping Grounds at Deonar (132 hectares) and Mulund (25 hectares). Both these dumping grounds have been scheduled to close for years now.

Sewage

The 2013-2014 report does not to say anything about the status of the last year’s projects. Sites of Water Pollution Vakola Nullah Mithi River 9 locations 26 locations Ingress of sewage flow water pollution Mithi River flows majorly through Kurla,Saki Naka and Powai.Kurla is in L-ward where the maximum number of Malaria and Diarrhoea cases were seen in the last year.L-ward also has the second most contaminated water.As per Praja’s data L-ward councillors ask (save,Anuradha Pednekar and Saeeda Khan who are members of the Public Health commitee) an average of one questions per year on the topic of health.The councillors need to raise more questions on this subject to bring about positive change in the situation. Average Dry weather flow capacity of the greater Mumbai sewage system has not increased by even 0.1 MLD in the last one year – both reports have the same numbers.

(Pictures courtesy sites.google.com, www.mpg.de. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Mumbai, wake up and control your vehicular traffic

Experts deliberate on ways and means to cut down the vehicles on Mumbai choc-a-block roads, improve air quality, waste management.

by TERI News Features

Mumbai is rapidly choking on its own smoke-filled outdoor air. And unless ways are devised to improve the quality of urban infrastructure and incentivise public transport, the rising numbers of private vehicles are going to make a living hell out of the city.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) recently organised a regional dialogue titled, ‘Sustainable Urban Transport and Solid Waste Management in Mumbai’. The dialogue was organised in the run up to TERI’s annual flagship event, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), which will be held in New Delhi from February 5 to 7, 2015. A series of Regional Dialogues were organized in the run-up to the Summit, which come in the wake of the new Government’s two major announcements — 100 Smart Cities for India and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

At the third and the last dialogue in Mumbai, top experts deliberated on ways to tackle the ever-increasing traffic-related problems here and also how waste management can be streamlined. Mumbai and the metropolitan region around it has been growing seamlessly, with its total population expected to touch 44 million in 2052 even as the resources to service the burgeoning masses remain more or less stagnant. The city is experiencing major traffic problems even though public transit represents more than 60 per cent of the motorised transport model share. With one of the highest per capita incomes in the country, Mumbai has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of personal vehicles.

Speaking at the event, Shri Prakash, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, said: “Although the rail-based transport system consisting of suburban rail and newly introduced metro and monorail would cater to the major transport needs of the city, provisions of adequate facilities for growth of non-motorised transport are also very essential for accessible and sustainable transport system.” Added UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, “We are looking at smart ticketing, smart cards that can be used for all modes of public transport system. A 100 to 200-km network in the next eight to 10 years should have a positive impact on Mumbai city’s infrastructure.”

“It is not only about setting up transport systems but also about improving road connectivity and accessibility, which are extremely critical,” said Abhay Mishra, CEO, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd.

While discussing waste management, experts said the city generates about 10,000 MT of municipal solid waste and more than 2700 MLD of sewage per day. Managing and processing this huge amount of waste is a huge challenge faced by urban local bodies. Even in small peripheral cities of Mumbai, MSW collection and treatment is a huge task. Dr Suneel Pandey, Associate Director, Green Growth and Resource Efficiency, TERI, said: “It’s time to look at an integrated waste management framework to not only treat and dispose the waste, but also, in the process of doing so, recover resources like energy, nutrients and water not only to close the loop of material use, reduce use of harmful chemicals but also improve financial viability of waste processing options.”

“Decentralisation, biomechanisation, and waste management at the household level are the need of the hour. Today, waste processing, co-processing are some of the technologies which can treat waste efficiently. There is a need to introduce curriculum in universities that will teach people to run and operate the technology systems. This is currently lacking,” he added.

“Each individual generates waste and today there is no understanding of waste management. The need of the hour is to first study how, where and what waste is being generated. This will let us decide how we can best manage waste in the country. Then develop the right technology for the specific waste. Bad and inadequate waste management is responsible for the spread of dengue,” said Dr Amiya Kumar Sahu, President and Founder, National Solid Waste Association of India.

What do you think are some of the challenges in Mumbai city today? Tell us in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy searchpp.com, coastalcare.org)