HC raps govt for inaction on health hazards of Kanjurmarg landfill

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the state government for failing to comply with its earlier orders to urgently address the pollution and health hazards caused by the Kanjurmarg dumping ground

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the state government for failing to comply with its earlier orders to urgently address the pollution and health hazards caused by the Kanjurmarg dumping ground.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the state government for failing to comply with its earlier orders to urgently address the pollution and health hazards caused by the Kanjurmarg dumping ground. (Photo by Praful Gangurde from 2012) (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

A division bench of justices Girish Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe was hearing several Public Interest Litigations (PILs) about the disposal of municipal solid waste at Kanjurmarg. Since the dumping site is surrounded by residential areas, it needs a robust mechanism to ensure a pollution-free environment. Petitioners have highlighted that the smoke and foul odours from the landfill significantly contribute to the city’s overall pollution levels.

In May, the court had directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to find an alternative site and shift the dumping ground outside the city. Later, in June, the court noted that the odour and pollution from the site were causing “intolerable suffering” to thousands of residents. At the time the court said this was a “gross failure on the part of the municipal machinery in protecting the fundamental rights of the citizens to have a clean and pollution free environment”.

During a July hearing, the court set up a committee with the chief secretary of the state government, the principal secretary of the Urban Development Department under the supervision of the deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde, to urgently address these issues.

However, when the matter came up again on Wednesday, the court expressed “surprise” that the committee had not resolved any of the grievances so far. The bench ordered the committee to hold a meeting on December 2 and take appropriate decisions on all the pending applications regarding the dumping site.

“Needless to observe that the appropriate decisions to be taken by the committee are to be issued only after prior consultation with the deputy chief minister so that the grievances of citizens are considered at the highest level of the state government,” the court said.

The matter will be heard again on December 11.