MUMBAI: The BMC - Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp - has extended the timings of public parks and grounds in Mumbai. This decision comes as the many young and senior citizens have been visiting parks and grounds after the covid pandemic.

The public parks and grounds will now be open daily from 5 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 10 night. It will be open on weekends from 5 am to 10 night.  The current hours are 6 am to 2 pm and 3 pm to 9 night. The city has 26 parks, 432 playgrounds, 432 recreation fields, and 229 parks altogether.

A commission to recommend dust control measures was also established earlier this week by the municipal civic council, which was alert to the city's worsening air quality and rising air pollution.

The BMC districts will rigidly follow the dust control measures that the committee, which consists of seven members and is presided over by Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Sanjeev Kumar, recommends beginning on April 1.

According to a statement made by the BMC, strict enforcement of the dust control measures will begin in the BMC territory on April 1, 2023, and violators will face serious consequences.

"Due to fluctuations in wind speed conditions and dust from numerous large-scale development and building projects, the air quality in the Mumbai region, including the city, is currently poor.

In the metropolitan city of Mumbai, the air pollution issue has been worse than ever. According to the statement, the two key elements in the post-COVID-19 period are fluctuations in wind speed and dust produced by extensive construction and other development operations.

There are currently more than 5,000 places in Mumbai where various operations are being done, and although the natural conditions are out of human control, it is up to the administration to reduce the dust produced from these locations, it said.

About the H3N2 cases, 32 people in total have been admitted to hospitals in Mumbai. Four of these patients have been identified as having the H3N2 influenza virus, while others have been identified as having the H1N1 virus. The civic authority also stated that all patients' conditions are currently stable. 352 individuals in the state have received an H3N2 diagnosis to yet, according to state health minister Tanaji Sawant. "The H3N2 virus has so far infected 352 individuals in total. All hospitals have been put on alert while they receive treatment. Not lethal, H3N2 is. It is curable with the right medical care.

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