Garbage blaze sparks alarm at TMC site near Vasai Creek and mangroves

Eyewitnesses and environmentalists report that fires have become a recurring phenomenon, with smoke drifting into nearby forest tracts and toxic ash finding its way into the water body. “Mountains of garbage are being set ablaze and pushed into the creek

THANE: A fire at a temporary garbage dump set up by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) near Vasai Creek — within a designated Coastal Regulatory Zone — has triggered alarm over environmental violations and potential damage to sensitive mangrove and forest areas. The site, located in Gaimukh along Ghodbunder Road and near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), is under scrutiny for breaching ecological safeguards.

Garbage blaze sparks alarm at TMC site near Vasai Creek and mangroves

The fire, allegedly sparked by methane emissions from the accumulated waste, has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups. Vanashakti, a city-based environmental NGO, has written to multiple authorities, including the Thane collector, SGNP director, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), flagging the grave violations taking place.

“The site at Gaimukh abutting the Vasai Creek is forest land and a mangrove buffer zone. It is shocking to see garbage being dumped and burned in such a sensitive ecological area,” said Stalin D, director of Vanashakti, in a letter dated May 6.

Citing GPS coordinates provided by local observers, the NGO stated that the dump site is barely 30 metres from the creek — a clear violation of CRZ norms. Satellite images and on-ground reports indicate that nearly 15,000 metric tonnes of garbage have been stored over a one-hectare plot, sparking concerns of leachate contamination and irreversible damage to mangrove ecosystems.

Eyewitnesses and environmentalists report that fires have become a recurring phenomenon, with smoke drifting into nearby forest tracts and toxic ash finding its way into the water body. “Mountains of garbage are being set ablaze and pushed into the creek. This is not just negligence — it is environmental vandalism,” Stalin alleged, noting that TMC’s actions violate ongoing directives from the Bombay High Court regarding air pollution.

TMC, however, has offered a different version of events. “The fire was caused by naturally occurring methane gas from decomposing waste,” said Manoj Joshi, deputy municipal commissioner of TMC. “This location was always meant to be temporary. We began using it only in January and are in the process of appointing a contractor to shift the waste elsewhere.”

But this stopgap solution has only highlighted the municipality’s larger crisis in solid waste management. In April, Thane city was reeling under a garbage backlog, with uncollected waste piling up on streets. Civic officials blame the ongoing lack of secure dumping sites, and the delay in operationalising a new 35-acre landfill in Atkoli, Bhiwandi, due to stalled tendering.

Thane currently generates over 1,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily. While a portion is routed to the CP Talao garbage transfer station for sorting, final disposal is increasingly becoming a challenge with existing landfills at Diaghar and Gaimukh reaching saturation.

Environmentalists warn that continuing this approach of ‘temporary solutions’ is no longer tenable, especially when such sites are located within ecologically sensitive zones. “This is not just about garbage anymore — it is about the survival of forests, mangroves, and marine life. The system needs to shift from dumping to decentralised processing and sustainable waste governance,” Stalin added.