Mumbai, Dec. 13 -- A day after Hindustan Times reported glaring violations of pollution-control guidelines at five government-led construction and demolition sites, authorities appear to have swung into action. A follow-up visit by HT on Friday showed that several sites had begun implementing the measures mandated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prevent dust from spreading beyond the project site. At the Elphinstone Bridge demolition site, the debris has been covered with green sheets to avoid dust particles from spreading. Earlier, there was minimal or no scaffolding, while debris was scattered along the roadside, uncovered. Residents had previously complained that dust was blanketing the entire locality due to the ongoing demolition work. At the new Bombay High Court complex construction site in Bandra East, the green nets clearly covered a larger portion of the debris scattered around the site. "When the process of demolishing old buildings is ongoing, we do take precautions like putting up sheets around the site and even sprinkling water on the debris," said Sachin Dhatrak, executive engineer in the state's public works department (PWD). "Despite taking all the necessary precautions, a little bit of dust in the air is unavoidable. Currently, most of the demolitions have already taken place, and the next round of demolitions is scheduled only during February-March." Dhatrak explained that the only probable cause of dust currently is during the loading of debris onto trucks, which he claimed is carried out in enclosed conditions. At the demolition site of the 117-year-old Mumbai crime branch building, the height of the nets had become more prominent. "Our demolition work has already ended, but we did follow all the norms like putting up green nets and barricading it with 25-feet-high tin sheets, besides watering it regularly," said Shailesh Totwad, project engineer in the police housing department, which is carrying out the work. While these are green shoots, activists say compliance remains inconsistent across the city. Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder of the NGO Waatavaran, which works in the area of improving air quality, said that he had come across bridge construction sites, undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), where no pollution-control measures were being followed. "A little ahead of the Mankhurd signal, the BMC was carrying out digging works with no green net covers, no tin shed covers or air quality monitors, or even sprinkling of water, with dust particles spreading all around. This clearly raises questions about whether the BMC itself is serious about following its own norms," he said. Kesbhat also stressed the need for greater public awareness of complaint mechanisms for dust pollution. "Currently, citizens don't even seem to know where they can lodge complaints about issues regarding dust pollution in their surroundings," he said. There are also concerns about whether these complaints actually get addressed. "With deteriorating air quality increasing all around, citizens' involvement becomes very important," he added....