Mumbai's smog threatens to engulf the fleet review

Mumbai's smog threatens to engulf the fleet review
Sunil Nair

MUMBAI, FEB 13: ``On a clear day...you can see forever,'' Frank Sinatra rhapsodised. In Mumbai, eternally enveloped as it is in a sulphurous haze, visibility does not stretch beyond 2-3 kms these days.

It's a problem that has now cast a shadow over the International Fleet Review, a grand naval ceremony that will showcase the might and firepower of nearly a hundred ships from 19 nations at the cost of a few crores. Current smog levels in the city are so high that they threaten to turn the Review, to be staged off Gateway of India, from a public spectacle of maritime diplomacy into a foggy affair that will test everyone's eyesight.

Alarmed by the possibility that smog could dampen the celebrations, the Governor of Maharashtra has initiated a series of controversial measures aimed at checking pollution -- schools, colleges and the government will be closed for the four-day period, he has asked private vehicle owners to organise car pools and requested everyone in general not to burn garbage. Thestate pollution control board has requested industries to close down for the four days. All of which has Mumbaiites in a tizzy because most people do not want a forced four-holiday followed by a weekend and a religious holiday.But the non-visibility is what's uppermost on the Navy's agenda.

``If conditions don't improve, people will be better off watching the show on TV. At least the cameras will be on launches closer to the ships,'' says Debi Goenka, who heads the Bombay Environment Action Group. One of the most polluted cities in the world, Mumbai's ambient air standards are five to six times lower than permitted levels. In winter, it gets worse: due to lack of atmospheric dispersion, oxides of nitrogen and carbon emitted by vehicles hang like a thick blanket in the air.

According to the Colaba Weather Observatory, the present level of visibility in the city is 2-4 kms, much lower than the average of 4-10 kms recorded in all seasons except winter. For a magnificent offshore display put up over an area of 8x5 sq kms, these are far from ideal conditions, particularly since the Fleet Review will take place in the morning when the fog is thicker at lower levels.

The single largest source of air pollution in Mumbai, home to over nine lakh private vehicles, is transport. It's a bit ironical considering that public transport accounts for 90 per cent of all travel -- suburban railways alone carry over 5.2 million passengers every day.

But there are no signs that Mumbai's citizens will oblige the Governor in his unusual request. Already, some industry organisations have protested the decision to announce a 4-day holiday at a time when the economy has slowed down. ``The forced closure of businesses is unaffordable and will hit all areas of the economy hard,'' Indian Merchants Chamber president Sharayu Daftary has said.

The governor can take heart from one bit of good news though: the civic corporation's air monitoring cell has recorded lower levels of pollutants for January compared to December ever since a drive to curb vehicular exhaust has gathered pace. That may not be enough to guarantee a clear view, although naval officials are hoping conditions will improve in time for the Review. Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Rear Admiral Ravi C. Kochhar says, ``well the `Clean Air' campaign will be on test now.''

Those who keep a close vigil on the city's environment are not so sure. ``Winter inversion prevents polluting condensate matter from dissipating. You need a strong breeze to clear the air. The Good Lord should help to provide the right conditions,'' says Zinnia Khajotia of CLEAN Air, an NGO that has taken up the cause of returning Mumbai to an smog-free city.