BMC allowed to dump waste at Deonar ground

Mumbai: The Bombay high court Thursday allowed the BMC to continue dumping solid waste generated in the city at the suburban Deonar ground but said that the civic body will have to show how it plans to reduce the quantity of waste being dumped there.

A division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice R.I. Chagala was hearing an application filed by the BMC on December 31, 2019, seeking an extension for the dumping of solid waste at the Deonar ground.

In 2013, the HC had put a stop to the BMC dumping waste at Deonar as it did not have a solid waste management plant as is compulsory under the Environment Protection Act and Solid Waste Management rules.

The civic body sought time till June 2023, saying that it will take more than 40 months to make the waste-to-energy plant at the site completely operational and to appoint contractors to maintain the plant.

The court Thursday said, “We are mindful of the fact that the Environment Protection Act speaks about scientific management and disposal of solid waste, but the collection and disposal of solid waste is a huge task in metro cities.”

“We are also mindful of the ground reality. We will therefore have to give time to the BMC. But it will have to place on record a broad indication as to how it plans to reduce the quantity of solid waste being dumped at Deonar,” the court said.

The bench also directed the corporation to submit the tender process and state how much time the qualified bidder would take to set up the solid waste treatment plant at the Deonar ground.

“We hope that someday, we will be able to see the land at ground level at the Deonar dumping ground,” the court said.

The court has posted the matter for further hearing on June 22.

Of the 10,500 metric tonnes of waste that the city generates every day, 25 per cent is dumped at Deonar, while around 70 per cent is handled by Kanjurmarg dumping ground.

The Mulund dumping ground was shut by the corporation last year.