Govandi residents have been pushing back against ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in the M East ward, which includes Deonar, Shivaji Nagar, Baiganwadi, and Mankhurd. Mumbai ranked fifth among the most polluted cities globally in the IQAir rankings. To compound this unflattering ranking, locals alleged that the plants are making the air in the locality hazardous, and sent a show-cause-cum-stop-work notice against the plants in October.

The notice states that the M East ward is one of the most vulnerable areas in the city, with a nearly 70 per cent slum population. It mentions the Deonar dumping ground, animal incinerator, and waste incinerator in the vicinity. If anybody needed reminding, residents highlighted how Mumbai had beaten Delhi’s poor AQI record, with Deonar-specific AQI readings being the worst in the city.