Notice issued to Alibaug ZP over illegal garbage dumping

Mumbai: After the issue of lack of garbage disposal system in Alibaug was brought to the notice of CM Devendra Fadnavis, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued notice to the Alibaug zilla parishad for inadequate scientific disposal system to manage waste and illegally dumping household and other waste in downtown Alibaug. The MPCB has also issued notice to the Kihim gram panchayat for lack of garbage collection and disposal system and not cleaning Kihim Beach.

The MPCB also asked the local authority to stop all the illegal dumping activities on an unauthorised site near Kihim beach within 15 days. The local body has also been asked to take necessary precautions while shifting the dumped municipal solid waste (MSW).  

The notice dated June 9 was addressed to the village development officer of gram panchayat. According to the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 authorities including waste generators should segregate waste into three streams —biodegradable, dry (plastic, paper metal, wood) and domestic waste (dippers, napkins, mosquitoes, roads, cleaning agents) — before handing it over to the collector.

The notice stated that it is obligatory on the local authority’s part to collect segregated waste from the generators within their jurisdiction and dispose off it in a scientific manner as provided in the SMW rules. The notice also states that the garbage should be dumped on a designated site, which has been approved by the competent authorities instead of dumping it off at unauthorised site.

The MPCB also found out that the Kihim gram panchayat had not provided treatment and disposal facility for municipal solid waste and was illegally dumping it at Chaundhi Naka, Chaundhi and Alibaug in an unscientific manner.

After visiting the site, MPCB also came up with specific observations on Kihim. The MPCB found that the waste was scattered along the Kihim seashore. The MPCB’s notice stated that the gram panchayat has not provided proper collection system for MSW generated.