It has come to the fore that more than 50% industries in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are releasing fine particulate matter (PM), breaching the safe limits and posing a risk to health.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) rated 29 of 50 industries in Navi Mumbai, Tarapur, Kalyan and Thane in ‘very poor’ to ‘poor’ categories. The industries emit PM2.5 above the prescribed limit of 150 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/Nm3) from the smoke stacks. Most of the 29 industries belong to chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Under the Maharashtra Star Rating Programme for industrial PM emissions, 19 industries scored one star, while 10 got two stars. Industries that emit less than 150mg/Nm3 are given four and five stars….