The BMC has directed all bakeries in Mumbai to switch to environmentally friendly alternatives, such as electricity or piped natural gas (PNG), within one year. Notices have been issued to 356 bakeries still using firewood, and legal action is underway against 77 of these establishments, which will be closed if they do not comply with the directive.
The BMC’s efforts to reduce air pollution in Mumbai have focused on identifying significant contributors to pollution, with burning wood in ovens being a notable factor.
Civic teams are inspecting bakeries and construction sites across all 24 administrative wards. Notices have been sent to the bakeries using firewood. “If they fail to make the required changes within given deadline legal action will be taken on such bakeries by next year,” said a senior civic official. The Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) conducted a six-month-long study revealing that over 47% of bakeries in Mumbai still use firewood.
These bakeries contributes to the emission of particulate matter and negatively impacts air quality. The BEAG team has engaged with civic officials to address this issue and proposed transitioning these wood-based bakeries to more environmentally friendly fuel options. In particular, the Bandra-Khar West area was highlighted as having the highest concentration of wood-based bakeries, with 52% of bakeries in this area relying on firewood.
The study also estimated that around 700 bakeries are not registered with the Municipal corporation. These bakeries primarily use scrap wood from old furniture and dilapidated buildings because it is cheaper than logwood, said the report.
