Vashi Chokes Under Toxic Smog, Air Quality Hits Hazardous Levels
Navi Mumbai, 7th June 2025: Residents of Vashi and surrounding areas are grappling with dangerously poor air quality over the past two nights, as pollution levels spike and a foul-smelling smog blankets the area, particularly after sundown. The situation has triggered health concerns with citizens reporting eye irritation, sore throats, and breathing discomfort.
Despite Environment Day being celebrated on Thursday, residents in Vashi, Turbhe, and Koparkhairane have been battling suffocating conditions due to pollution. According to the International Meteorological Agency, on the night of June 4, PM2.5 dust levels were recorded at 52.2 µg/m³—over 10 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit. The AQI hovered between 135 and 160, putting the air in the “unhealthy” category.
The situation worsened on the night of June 5 when local resident Prof. Vinil Kumar Singh measured PM2.5 levels at a staggering 446 µg/m³ in Sector 26, Vashi—placing the air firmly in the “hazardous” zone. Low wind speeds have led to pollutants lingering in the atmosphere, worsening the smog.
Residents across Sectors 26, 28, and 29 have complained of the pungent air entering their homes even with windows closed. Children and senior citizens are especially affected. Social activist Sanket Doke attributed the issue to unchecked industrial emissions, particularly from zinc casting units operating at night without pollution control measures. He also highlighted the lack of a green buffer zone between industrial and residential areas.
While the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) claims no official complaints have been received yet, regional officer Satish Padwal assured that monitoring teams will be deployed and strict action taken after review.
Until then, residents remain exposed to toxic air, waiting for swift government intervention.
