Mumbai: Environmentalists claim that the allocation of new sites for depositing debris is contrary to the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, which promote recycling of solid waste and prohibits new landfill sites. They pointed out that, instead, the civic body should plan debris-recycling plants, which will prevent the burden of deposited construction waste at several locations.
"Opening new sites is contradictory to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, which completely prohibit the dumping site culture. Instead of coming up with more sites for dumping debris, the civic body should introduce debris-recycling plants at various sites available in Mulund, Gorai, Kanjurmarg and Deonar," said Rishi Aggarwal, solid waste management expert.
The Supreme Court order mentioned that builders will be permitted to start construction after giving an undertaking of disposal of debris as part of Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) while submitting a bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh for a guarantee of disposal of waste. However, the Supreme Court has also mentioned that it has not set aside the Bombay high court order regarding the ban on new construction except for redevelopment projects.
