Environmentalists have expressed concern over political parties neglecting critical climate issues during the ongoing election campaigns despite a rapidly escalating climate crisis. Mumbai and its Metropolitan Region (MMR) rank among the top in air pollution, yet political dialogue remains focused elsewhere, lamented NatConnect Foundation, which is leading an awareness campaign on environmental care. 

The city grapples with unusual rains, floods, and escalating pollution amid the loss of wetlands, greenery, and mangroves, often dubbed “urban sponges,” said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect. He pointed out that the fight for open spaces is ongoing, but lands once occupied by textile mills are being converted into concrete structures without attention to tree plantation. 

Mumbai’s per capita open space is just 1.1 square meters compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of nine square meters, Kumar highlighted. This severe lack of green cover contributes to poor air quality, which places Mumbai and MMR at the top of pollution rankings. Kumar urged voters to press candidates for actionable environmental plans and called for politicians to move beyond caste and religion rhetoric to prioritize environmental concerns. 

India’s low rank—176 out of 180—on the biodiversity index underscores the need for a robust tree plantation and protection drive, Kumar added. 

Concurring, Nandakumar Pawar, director of Sagar Shakti, raised alarms over worsening contamination in creeks and seas, noting that officials often dismiss their complaints. Together with NatConnect, Pawar has long protested the burial of intertidal wetlands in areas like Uran, which exacerbates flooding by diverting natural water courses. 

Pawar further cautioned against urbanization encroaching on salt pans for housing developments in places like Mulund, which threatens to worsen urban flooding by destroying these “urban sponges.” He cited Chennai's experience, where over 60% of wetlands have been lost, leading to severe monsoon flooding. 

While the previous Uddhav Thackeray government initiated a Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP), subsequent administrations sidelined it, NatConnect said. Currently, Shiv Sena-UBT is the sole political outfit to highlight environmental protection in its manifesto, promising to revive climate plans. 

Jyoti Nadkarni of the Kharghar Hills and Wetlands group criticized the ongoing damage to wetlands and mangroves under various project pretexts, such as the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (PMAY) and coastal roads. She warned that without a proper water management system, rapid urbanization would become unsustainable, noting that Kharghar residents already depend on tanker water, while towering 50-storey buildings continue to emerge. 

Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, director of the Watchdog Foundation, highlighted worsening air quality due to rampant construction and rising vehicular traffic, posing health risks, particularly to children and the elderly. He called for strict enforcement of air pollution controls at construction sites, promotion of public transport, and incentives for eco-friendly alternatives.