Illegal debris dumping: Mumbai civic body issues stop work notices to 22 MHADA contractors

Mumbai civic officials said they realised that the housing body does not set any debris management guidelines for its contractors

Against the backdrop of increasing cases of construction debris being dumped illegally, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cracked the whip against the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) contractors in Masjid Bunder. The civic body has issued stop work notices to them, saying these will only be revoked once a debris management plan is submitted.

BMC officials said most developers and contractors across the city illegally dump construction waste on open spaces, without proper permission from the concerned authorities. (HT File)

The BMC issued notices to 22 contractors for demolishing structures without a such a plan. One of the officials said they had sent a copy of the notice to MHADA’s repair board.

“We received complaints from residents, who told us debris were being dumped illegally in their vicinity. We have also imposed a penalty of Rs20,000 on one of the contractors for past cases of illegal debris dumping,” said Uday Shirudkar, assistant municipal commissioner of B ward.

BMC officials said they realised that the housing body does not set any debris management guidelines for its contractors. MHADA, in the work order issued to its contractors, states that the removal of debris is solely the contractor’s responsibility.

A debris management plan involves acquiring permissions to dump garbage. Civic officials said most developers and contractors across the city illegally dump construction waste on open spaces, without proper permission from the concerned authorities.

Currently, more than 1,000 metric tonnes of construction debris are dumped at the city’s three dumping grounds.

“We agree that a debris management plan and its effective implementation is necessary. However, instead of issuing stop work notices, the BMC should have notified the repair board first. We will speak to our contractors,” Sumant Bhange, chief officer, MHADA’s Mumbai Repair Board told HT.

There are more than 1,400 buildings that need repairs in B ward. These repairs are undertaken by MHADA’s Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board.