Identify multiple sites to set up dumping grounds: HC to BMC

The Bombay High Court today ordered the Mumbai civic body to identify multiple alternative sites in the city immediately to set up dumping grounds and asked it to make segregation of waste at the source mandatory.
A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar gave this order on a bunch of petitions filed by the residents of suburban Kanjurmarg about the violation of pollution norms at the dumping ground there.
The petitioners' counsel Madhav Jamdar and Abhijit Rane today argued in the court that ideally there should be a dumping site in each of the city wards.

BMC counsel Anil Sakhare told the court that the civic body had identified a few sites in the city and are awaiting final decision from the state government.
The court, however, said the civic body will have to take immediate steps.
"You (BMC) cannot keep postponing the issue... Otherwise this will grow into a bigger problem and then you will not be able to handle it," Chief Justice Chellur said.

"Ideally in a city like Mumbai, there should be four main sites. One each in north, south, east and west regions. Now a days, one sees garbage dumped at the road side itself," Chief Justice Chellur said.

The court also asked the civic body to create civic awareness among the citizens and also take steps towards getting waste segregated into dry and wet at the source itself. To this, Sakhre said the corporation was issuing notices to housing societies asking them to separate waste.
"Housewives and servants in the house should know what it is (segregation of waste)," Chief Justice Chellur said adding that the corporation should also see how other states in the country were handling the issue of dumping wastes.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on July 20.