Smog Wars: Mumbai vs Delhi Local Governments' Plans to Save the Day from Air Pollution!

Mumbai and Delhi are two of India's biggest cities, serving their unique vibe, culture and traditions, but what you need to know is that they share a common problem of air pollution problems. The battle against air pollution has taken on a superheroic dimension, with cities stepping up their game to protect citizens from the nefarious villain of polluted air.

Mumbai's Air Pollution Mitigation Plan Takes the Lead

Are you a Mumbaiker already star-struck by the city's glamorous lights and beautiful beaches? Has the city that never sleeps detached you from the fact that it also has poor air quality?

Buildings are being demolished in almost every nook and cranny of the city to be renovated. The amount of dust is at its highest point in recent memory. According to an action plan created by the civic body, if builders don't start reducing dust produced from building sites, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would issue stop-work warnings to them, followed by punitive action.

The city will also see the set up of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) to monitor the ambient air quality. A ward-level emissions assessment with partner institutions' help, including IIT Bombay, is being initiated.

Dahisar toll naka, Mulund check naka, Mankhurd, Kalanagar junction, and Haji Ali junction — the five most crowded areas of the city — will see installations of air purifiers.

With the upcoming G20 meetings, the civic wards are currently preoccupied with preparations and pre-monsoon work that needs to be finished by May 31, according to The Free Press Journal. The authorities must also include a reduction of air pollution in their to-do list!

Unmasking Delhi's Air Pollution Heroes: The Capital’s Defense is no less!

Moving to the National Capital and down the street of Sarojini Nagar, we see people rushing into markets and eating the world-famous spicy street food of Delhi, unknown to the fact that they are victims of one of the most polluted cities in the world. People worldwide are fascinated by the monuments, spicy street food and the city's elegance, but Delhi sees the worst days of pollution every winter.

Psst…If you live or travel to Delhi/Mumbai, we have something to protect your lungs: AEREM Go. It is an ergonomic and portable air purifier that can purify 16 sq. feet of air with its HEPA and Activated Carbon filters, trapping all the soot or harmful particles. It comes with a NASA-recommended plant and AQI-based lighting that keeps you in the know of your room's air quality. Find out more at www.climeclabs.com.

The Delhi Government has been experimenting with different measures. Hon'ble Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a unique appeal to the people of Delhi to send in their suggestions to reduce air pollution. The suggestions were considered, and a 15-Point Winter Action Plan 2022 was made. The controlling measures range from controlling stubble burning and E-waste Parks to real-time source apportionment studies.

The infamous odd-even vehicle rule was not enough to curb pollution in Delhi. It's like an air pollution version of "The Hunger Games," except your car's license plate number is the only tribute. So now, the Delhi government is establishing real-time pollution data labs in every district in Delhi. IIT Delhi and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) are contributing their knowledge and technical support to the project, which is being led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.

Delhi has also taken action to encourage the usage of bicycles and electric cars. They've borrowed a leaf from "Back to the Future" by swapping out Marty's skateboard for bicycles and DeLoreans for electric vehicles.

Both cities are coming together like Avengers and taking impressive steps to reduce air pollution. The real truth lies behind the enforcement, which will determine how well this plan works.

The future holds good only when the measures are not forgotten on paper.

Which city do you think is taking better measures? Let us know!