Air quality inside residential high-rises in Wadala, Mumbai, has been found to consistently exceed safety limits for harmful gases and particulate matter, according to a recent study conducted by the MERAG Mumbai Ecological Research and Analysis Group. The study, which focused on air pollution levels within two high-rise towers, has revealed alarming levels of hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, carbon monoxide and other pollutants, raising serious health and environmental concerns.
Monitoring sensors installed at the 13th and 26th floors of the towers recorded pollutants surpassing the prescribed safety thresholds, with hydrogen sulphide levels peaking at nearly 15 times the permissible limit. The gas, typically linked to industrial waste and decomposition processes, was found to remain consistently above safe levels, potentially posing significant risks to the respiratory health of residents.
In addition to hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide levels also exceeded safe limits on several occasions, further compounding the air quality issues in the area.
This study marks one of the first efforts to track pollution levels at elevated heights within residential complexes, an area that has not been adequately monitored before. As most government air quality stations operate at ground level, this research provides a unique perspective on how pollution exposure may vary for those living on higher floors.
The findings suggest that residents of such towers are potentially breathing in polluted air that differs substantially from the air quality experienced by people at ground level.
While the “better air on higher floors” theory is based on the idea that taller buildings allow pollution to disperse, this doesn't apply to all pollutants, the study notes. In fact, tall buildings can trap pollutants especially at night or during winter months, as warm air can create a barrier that traps pollution between 16 to 30 storeys, making top floors more polluted than lower levels. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and industrial gases can remain concentrated at higher altitudes, posing significant health risks, as per the report.
"I have patients coming to me with complaints of severe cough, breathlessness and unexplained fatigue. These cases have been going around ever since this heightened construction activity took over in a bid to transform Wadala East into this enticing hub of real estate. Sometimes medicine can only work to an extent, basic necessities such as fresh and clean air cannot be ignored," Dr Ramesh Shah, family physician tells THE WEEK.
The study's analysis of wind speed and direction also speaks about how emissions from nearby industrial sites and vehicular exhaust are being transported into the residential towers, thereby indicating the complex nature of pollution in this area.
Interestingly, the study’s findings come at a time when pollution levels across Mumbai have become a growing public health concern. A recent report from the Maharashtra Health Department pointed to rising pollution levels as a contributing factor to the city’s increasing lung cancer rates, with lung cancer now accounting for 57% of diagnosed cancer cases in Mumbai. The legislative assembly recently acknowledged these findings, urging more research into the long-term health impacts of air pollution.