The Bombay High Court has cautioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against allowing a landfill disaster similar to the recent collapse at Moshi in Pune district, stressing the need for urgent preventive measures at Mumbai's dumping grounds.
Hearing a batch of petitions related to waste management and environmental concerns at the Kanjurmarg landfill, a division bench of Justices Girish S. Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe observed that Mumbai has towering garbage mounds and warned that the city cannot afford a tragedy similar to the one witnessed in Moshi.
The court was referring to the July 8 incident at a waste processing facility in Moshi, where a massive garbage mound collapsed following heavy rainfall, killing nine workers.
Expressing concern over the risks posed by large landfill sites, the bench directed the BMC to strictly implement the Solid Waste Management Rules and strengthen measures to prevent illegal dumping and ensure scientific waste disposal. It also asked the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to closely monitor compliance.
The court instructed the civic body and the pollution control board to file compliance reports within 15 days detailing the steps taken to improve waste management and prevent any potential disaster.
The observations came during the hearing of petitions filed by residents living near the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, who have raised concerns over pollution, foul odour, methane emissions and health hazards caused by the landfill.
Emphasising that public safety must remain paramount, the High Court said authorities should act proactively rather than wait for an accident to occur, particularly during the ongoing monsoon season when landfill stability becomes a major concern.
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