Navi Mumbai’s air quality crisis has drawn sharp criticism from citizen groups, questioning the validity of the city’s repeated “Clean City” accolades. The Sajag Nagirik Manch submitted an urgent memorandum to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), CIDCO, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), highlighting dangerously high pollution levels that threaten public health.
On 27 November, the group reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 238 in Belapur and 271 in Nerul, figures considered hazardous by environmental standards. “Clean streets alone cannot define urban sustainability. If the air residents breathe is toxic, awards are meaningless,” said a representative of the Manch. The organisation stressed that a city’s cleanliness ranking must extend beyond waste management to include air quality, particularly given the rising incidence of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular complications, and asthma among children. Despite housing MPCB’s regional office, Navi Mumbai’s air pollution remains largely unmonitored due to reported technical glitches at several monitoring stations, raising transparency concerns.
Residents have identified multiple pollution sources including RMC plants, ongoing construction, quarry operations, unregulated industrial emissions, and increasing vehicular traffic. Citizen complaints suggest that authorities have not implemented adequate mitigation measures, prompting calls for an independent Source Apportionment Study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). The Manch’s memorandum outlined a multi-pronged approach for immediate intervention. Recommendations include a city-wide Air Pollution Emergency Action Plan, stricter dust control at construction sites, increased mechanical road cleaning and water sprinkling, punitive action against non-compliant industries, and enforcement against burning waste and diesel generator use. Real-time AQI displays at key junctions and dedicated respiratory clinics or pollution helpdesks were also proposed to assist affected residents.
Further, the citizens’ group appealed to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to revise the criteria for the Clean City Award to prioritise air quality. “Recognition should reflect actual environmental health, not just aesthetics,” the memorandum stated. Urban experts note that cities like Navi Mumbai must integrate air quality management with ongoing urban planning and development projects, particularly in rapidly expanding CIDCO zones. “Sustainable urban governance requires that metrics like air quality inform policy, planning, and civic recognition. Without it, citizen health remains at risk,” a senior urban planner said.
With AQI levels consistently breaching safe thresholds, Navi Mumbai’s situation is increasingly being classified as a public health emergency. Authorities are urged to adopt urgent mitigation measures while integrating long-term sustainable strategies to ensure residents can breathe safely.
Navi Mumbai Community Raises Alarm On Air Pollution Despite Clean City Recognition
