Kamal Ghorui
MUMBAI: In a joint initiative, members of residents groups Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group, Santacruz West Action Team (SWAT), Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA), and the citizen collective Keep Juhu Clean met mayor Ritu Tawde on Wednesday to raise concerns over pollution and noise from construction sites across the western suburbs.Representing nearly 2,000 residents from Gulmohar, JVPD, Santacruz and Bandra Pali Hill, the resident groups spoke to the mayor about the deteriorating quality of the air in the western suburbs, the excessive construction site noise and the poor enforcement of pollution control norms.
Reetha Balsavar from SWAT said that they urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to strictly regulate construction timings between 8 am and 8 pm.Balsavar said the BMC should enforce dust-control measures such as water sprinkling and covering of debris.Balsavar said the BMC should also strengthen monitoring of noise levels.“Noise levels often exceed the permissible limits and there is. need for strictly monitoring the same,” said Balsavar. The residents also demanded the appointment of a dedicated nodal officer to address citizen complaints and ensure long-term compliance by developers. The residents were accompanied by BJP corporator Deepak Kotekar who facilitated the meeting with Tawde.“We trust that the concerned authorities will take immediate and decisive steps to ensure a healthier and safer environment for all citizens,” said Samarth Das, a resident of Juhu and an architect.
