Dumping grounds part of new development plan

The new development plan for Mumbai will include a reservation for public necessities, including a dumping ground, minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav announced on Thursday.

The new development plan for Mumbai will include a reservation for public necessities, including a dumping ground, minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav announced on Thursday. The ground will have a buffer around it to protect residential areas from any kind of pollution, he said.

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In addition to the existing dumping grounds, the government is trying to acquire 25 hectares of land near Kalyan, which will serve as a dumping ground for cities like Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

Jadhav made the announcement in the state council after NCP legislator Hemant Takle raised a stink over the dumping ground at Kanjurmarg.

"The smell from the dumping ground has been troubling people in Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg and Ghatkopar. It has also caused several health issues," Takle said.

"As per my information, the Kanjurmarg plot was meant [to house] project-affected people, but is now used to dump garbage." He added that the waste pit had affected mangroves and fish in water bodies nearby, and had even reduced the number of flamingos that visit the site each year. Takle asked the government if the garbage was being scientifically treated.

Jadhav informed the Council that the issue of dumping grounds had reached the Supreme Court, which had asked the Centre to give this land for a dumping ground. "Accordingly, from March 5, 1,000 tonnes of garbage are being dumped on the 65.96 hectare plot every day in a scientific manner," Jadhav said.

However, Congress legislator Bhai Jagtap claimed that no such scientific dumping was taking place and the officials responsible should be brought to book.