The Bombay High Court (HC) has called for urgent, coordinated action by both the civic administration and citizens to tackle garbage dumping and improve public hygiene across Mumbai, stressing that it is “never too late” to change the city’s waste-management practices.
A division bench comprising Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale said maintaining cleanliness cannot be treated as the sole responsibility of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Citizens, the court observed, are “equal stakeholders” and must actively contribute to keeping the city clean and hygienic.
“Maintaining public hygiene is a collective duty of ‘we the citizens’ by aiding the municipal machinery,” the bench said in its August 27 order.
The court’s observations came after the BMC submitted an affidavit outlining the steps taken in response to directions issued by the High Court on July 15 concerning garbage dumping, public hygiene and waste management.
The civic body informed the court that ward-level officials have started enforcing the Solid Waste Management Bye-Laws, 2025, including imposing fines on people found violating the rules.
The BMC has also intensified anti-littering campaigns, inspections and enforcement drives across Mumbai’s wards. CCTV cameras have been installed at identified Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) to monitor illegal dumping and help officials identify offenders.
Ward staff have been instructed to take action against violators, while a three-shift waste collection system has also been introduced across the city.
The High Court appreciated the initiatives and described the civic administration’s approach as proactive and pragmatic, saying such measures were essential for a city with Mumbai’s international standing.
While acknowledging the BMC’s efforts, the bench stressed that lasting improvement in Mumbai’s cleanliness will require active public participation.
The court warned that indiscriminate dumping of waste can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents and attract stray animals, increasing the risk of disease and posing threats to public health and the environment.
It therefore emphasised that residents must work alongside municipal authorities rather than viewing waste management as an issue that can be addressed by the civic body alone.
The bench expressed hope that the BMC’s campaign to make Mumbai cleaner and greener would translate into visible results on the ground rather than remain merely a slogan.
The High Court’s observations came during proceedings concerning complaints about the Kanjurmarg waste management facility, including allegations of foul odour, toxic gas emissions, pollution and health risks faced by nearby residents.
The court also told the BMC that it should have a clear contingency plan for waste management if it is eventually directed to stop using the Kanjurmarg facility.
The matter includes petitions such as one filed by Kannamwar Nagar CHS Association Ltd, which has raised concerns over the conditions around the waste facility.
During the hearing, advocate Abhijeet Rane, appearing in the Kanjurmarg-related matter, submitted that although the odour problem appeared to have reduced, odourless chemical emissions remained a concern and required attention.
The waste facility has also been at the centre of a long-running legal dispute over the status of the land.
In May 2025, while hearing a PIL filed by NGO Vanashakti, the Bombay High Court restored the protected forest status of about 119.91 hectares of land at Kanjurmarg. The court had held that the State government's 2009 notification de-notifying the land was invalid.
The BMC was allowed to continue using the site for three months to identify an alternative waste-disposal location. The civic body subsequently challenged the High Court's decision in the Supreme Court, which stayed the HC order. As a result, the BMC continues to use the Kanjurmarg facility.
During the latest hearing, senior civic counsel Anil Sakhare, assisted by advocate Rohan Mirpury, outlined several initiatives being implemented by the BMC.
These include a City Wide Action Plan covering all municipal wards, the Swachh Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan being conducted in coordination with NGOs, and the proposed Mumbai Clean League 2026.
The initiatives are aimed at strengthening waste collection, preventing indiscriminate dumping and encouraging greater public participation in maintaining civic cleanliness.
The High Court said such proactive measures were necessary and reiterated that public hygiene is a shared responsibility.
With its concluding observation that “it is never too late”, the court made clear that Mumbai’s waste-management challenges require sustained action rather than short-term campaigns. The larger goal, it said, should be to transform the vision of a “Clean Mumbai, Green Mumbai” into a reality for residents.
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