India, July 16 -- The critical job of monitoring Mumbai's air quality will be outsourced to a private company for a year due to a shortage of scientific personnel at the civic-run Air Quality Monitoring and Research Laboratory in Santacruz. Justifying the move, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration said the shortage has compromised the laboratory's ability to perform its responsibilities. This was stated in a proposal passed by the civic Standing Committee on Wednesday.

The company will undertake a range of key tasks, including monitoring Mumbai's ambient air quality and preparation of the city's annual Environmental Status Report (ESR), which the BMC is required to submit before July 31 every year. The laboratory a...