MPCB imposes ₹8 crore on TMC for illegally running dumping ground on mangroves in Diva creek

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has fined Thane Municipal Corporation ₹8.2 crore for illegally operating a dumping ground on mangroves in Diva creek.

Mumbai: Following the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) filed an affidavit earlier this week imposing a fine of ₹8.2 crore as environmental compensation on the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for illegally operating the dumping ground made on mangroves in Diva creek.

Thane, India - September,30, 2023: Despite being illegal and damaging the environment, TMC deliberately continued operating the dumping ground made on Mangroves in Diva ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Saturday, September, 30, 2023. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, judicial member, and Dr Vijay Kulkarni, expert member of NGT, Western Zone Bench, Pune, heard the petition filed by the director of Vanashakti, Stalin D. earlier this year after he observed that material solid waste was dumped unscientifically at the ground, fire-fighting arrangement was missing and Tro-Mill, required for segregation of waste, stood in idle condition.

An official from TMC said that the corporation will require the consent of the NGT to consider itself to be obliged to make the payment and that it will be going before MPCB in the next NGT hearing for not calculating the environmental compensation accurately.

“The next hearing of NGT will take place in February 2024. Then we will get to know if we have to pay or not. We had submitted our report to the NGT and they seemed satisfied,” added the official.

Stalin told HT that he had previously approached MPCB, Environmental Secretary, TMC, Collector and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) directly, however, no action was taken. He told the bench about the leachate, generated from the dumping site, flowing into the creek and the absence of a scientific leachate collecting system.

“There was no bio-mining of legacy waste and no safe closure plan was seen at the site. There is unscientific discharge of sewage in open water bodies of Ulhas River and Desai Creek in Mumbai and Diva,” said Stalin.

The bench, after being convinced, directed MPCB to calculate the environmental compensation to be paid by TMC and file an affidavit regarding the same.

“TMC has made a submission to the MPCB that bio-remediation will soon begin. Tendering has been done and an agency is being finalised. MPCB has undertaken regular visits, calculated environmental damage and has used every tool possible, including issuing of notices and directions, to keep the corporation in check,” said an official from the MPCB.

TMC further assured that funds are being allocated to establish a dedicated Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Diva and is enthusiastically working on Solid Waste Management (SWM) in Shil Daighar which will soon be fully operational.