Aditya Thackeray slams Maharashtra govt for bad air quality in MMR

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray has slammed sufferings of the people due to poor air standards in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as an indicator of "the quality of the unconstitutional government" in the state, here on Monday.

In a detailed tweet, he attacked the Shiv Sena Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regime for having no care for the common man owing to low air grade in the MMR.

"For over 2 months, citizens are falling sick, asking questions, but the absence of a legitimate, sensitive CM and a full time environment minister has led to this situation," alleged Thackeray.

He accused the government of shelving the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime's work of Mumbai Climate Action Plan and National Clean Air Program "due to their political and personal agendas".

Justifying his contentions, Thackeray Jr. cited the recent air quality index figures of various prominent cities or towns in the MMR comprising Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar regions.

They include: Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mhatwali, Dombivali, Mira-Bhayander and Bhiwandi (280), Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur (262) and Tarkhad (90), among the worst polluted areas.

Thackeray's scathing comments came days after reports pointing at growing concerns over a huge spike in cases of patients suffering from breathing problems, cold, persistent dry cough, headaches, throat infections, etc.

This has gripped a large section of the population in Mumbai and surroundings in the past three months when the AQI has dipped to alarming levels, affecting children and the senior citizens, many hospitalised or in ICU's owing respiratory ailments coupled with a recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, as per official data.