Since the state government has failed to extend the lease of dumping grounds it also is responsible for the garbage mismanagement in the city say citizens.
The Bombay High Court has banned thousands of under construction projects in Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for its failure to resolve the garbage dumping issue thereby causing inconvenience to lakhs of home buyers who had availed loans. These home buyers are now facing severe hardships as they are yet to get the possession of their homes due to stay imposed on new constructions. The state government got directions from Justices N H Patil and V L Achaliya who asked the state not to grant further permissions till further orders. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) was asked to bring errant civic officials to book.
The scenario is no different in Mumbai where the High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to overhaul the waste management system failing which it will deny permission for new constructions in the metropolis. Such move will also affect the realty sector in the city which is already witnessing a negative growth. However, the question which arises here is how will the civic body comply with the new directive within a short span of time?
The state government has failed to extend lease and permission for dumping grounds. The BMC is likely to shut the Mulund dumping ground.  The civic body has invited fresh tenders to begin the waste-to-energy project at the Deonar site. Mumbai’s total waste generation is approximately 10,500 metric tonnes, of which 3,700 tonnes is sent to the Deonar dumping ground and another 2,600 metric tonnes to the dumping ground at Mulund and 3,000 tonnes to Kanjurmarg. The garbage-height at Deonar currently peaks at 30 meters in some parts, while in Mulund, the height has gone upto 22 meters approximately, officials from solid waste management (SWM) department of BMC said. The BMC had also tried to set up waste-to-energy plant in the city and small processing plants at the ward level for effective solid waste management, but the plans has not taken off.
“Since the state government has failed to extend the lease of dumping grounds it also is responsible for the garbage mismanagement in the city. They don’t have a concrete plan to dispose garbage which is increasing everyday” said Ashok Arsud, a Kandivali resident.
“On one hand the civic body issues notices to hotels, hospitals, housing societies, malls, shops for its failure to dispose garbage on the other hand it penalises the common man if he spits on the street. The civic body must streamline the wastage management system to make the city garbage free” said Abhijit Salunke, a Borivali resident.
A senior civic official said, “We will initiate a scientific process to close down the Mulund dumping ground, but we cannot afford to shut Deonar. In the meantime, we are looking at doubling the waste quantity in Kanjurmarg which will reduce the burden in Mulund and Deonar. This is the only short-term measure we can introduce.”
