The High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the continued suffering of citizens living around the garbage dump in the densely populated Kanjurmarg area. It also ordered a high-level committee headed by the Deputy Chief Minister to immediately hear and resolve all pending complaints of citizens.
Residents have long complained about foul odours, pollution, and serious health issues. However, the bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe noted that the situation remains neglected.
In May, the High Court had quashed the state government's 2009 decision to cancel the reservation of 119.91 hectares of forest land for waste disposal. It ordered restoration of this land and relocation of the dumping ground outside city limits, while allowing the landfill to operate temporarily and giving the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) three months to find an alternative site.
The state government challenged this order, and the Supreme Court granted a stay. Since then, hearings on related petitions have been pending. On Wednesday, the bench instructed all parties to seek clarity from the Supreme Court regarding the status of these petitions.
After the Supreme Court’s stay, the BMC stopped responding to citizens’ complaints about the odour and air pollution from the dumping ground. Advocate Zaman Ali, appearing for the petitioner organisation Vanshakti, highlighted this negligence and urged the court to direct authorities to act on citizens’ grievances. The court took note and sought clarification from the government, reiterating its earlier directions that waste must be processed scientifically and dumping grounds must be located away from dense residential areas. It warned that pollution issues will persist without proper waste treatment.
Committee Yet to Meet
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