Hope to get rid of toxic dumping spot, says locals

Mumbai: Welcoming the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) move of processing the waste on the Mulund dumping ground, residents and environment activists have stated that it will help prevent Deonar fire like incidents in Mulund.

The BMC plans to intr-oduce several measures for the scientific disposal of waste generated in the city in 2019. Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a fine of Rs 5 crore on the BMC for failing to carry out proper waste management on three dumping grounds of Mumbai — Deonar, Mul-und and Kanjurmarg.

After the NGT order, the garbage dumping ground at Mulund was closed from October 1 as it got filled to its maximum capacity. However, later in November, it was found that around 400 metric tonnes of garbage was still being dumped at the Mulund landfill.  

“We hope to get rid of the toxic dumping ground, which is in the vicinity of residential areas. There have been instances of small fires on the dumping ground and the stench reaches our building at times,” said Manisha Ugale, a resident of Mulund.

Bharatiya Janata Par-ty Member of Parlia-ment, Kirit Somaiya, who represents the Mumbai northeast constituency, has also highlighted that the BMC’s decision to close the Mulund landfill will benefit over one million people residing in the periphery of the dumping ground.

Mr Somaiya has been following the issue of how to dispose the waste at the Deonar landfill scientifically.