The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has granted bakeries a one-year deadline to abandon firewood and use either electricity or piped natural gas (PNG). Notices have been issued to 650 bakeries currently using wood as fuel. An official from the BMC’s environment department said, “We have issued notices to 650 bakeries using firewood for their ovens. They have been ordered to convert their ovens to electric or PNG within a year. This timeline accounts for the cost implications and the various permissions required.”

The official added, “Burning wood in ovens is a significant contributor to pollution in Mumbai. We have started inspections across all wards, and wherever we find bakeries using firewood, we have served notices.” The BMC team is also consulting experts from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on the matter. On August 22, mid-day published a report by the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) highlighting that over 47.10 per cent of bakeries use firewood.