Amid rising concerns over the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to procure eight units of anti-smog guns. This will be the first of its kind in Mumbai.
The civic body is in the process of inviting tenders for vehicle mounted anti-smog guns, which will do rounds across Mumbai. They will be spraying water in a fine mist in an endeavour to get suspended dust to settle in areas where the Air Quality Index (AQI) is poor.
Using the anti-smog guns is one of the measures taken by the solid waste management department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to control air pollution, said civic official of environment department.
It is pertinent to note that the BMC has taken a cue from Noida’s earlier experiment in 2022.
While environmentalists question the efficacy of smog cannon vehicles, a civic official stated that it is a temporary measure for quick relief.
What is Anti-Smog Gun?
Anti-smog gun is a propeller gun connected to a water tank mounted onto a vehicle, which spews fine nebulised water droplets that absorb small dust particles and settle on the ground. It is designed to convert water into a fine spray with a droplet size of 50-100 microns using high-pressure propellers.
Role of 3-Level Task Force
The BMC had set standard operating procedures (SOPs) to set up a three-level task force in each ward on March 28.
The task force comprises three teams each, which are already formed in all 24 wards as per the air pollution mitigation plan.
These teams will target construction site dust, ongoing BMC road works, and sites with fires or garbage burning.
However, so far, only three wards, namely P North ward (Malad West), H West ward (Bandra, Khar etc.,) and K West ward (Andheri-Juhu), have submitted their reports based on the initial survey for July and August.
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