Mumbai: BMC gives bakeries one year to do away with firewood ovens

Janta bakery, which has wood-fuelled ovens, in Dahisar East

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.

According to the report, BEAG surveyed nearly 200 bakeries out of the 628 registered with the BMC. These bakeries primarily use scrap wood from old furniture and dilapidated buildings because it is cheaper than logwood. Larger bakeries consume 250-300 kg of wood daily, while the average consumption for wood-fired bakeries is around 130 kg per day. To process 20 kg of flour, 4 to 5 kg of wood is typically required. The cost of scrap wood ranges from R4 to 5 per kg, while logwood costs R10 to 12 per kg. BEAG submitted its findings to the BMC in August 2024.