In a city choked with illegal debris, BMC okays dumping in Charkop open space
The blatant dumping of rubble and stones, carried out by a large team of workers and machines, is clearly visible to most residents of the Highland Complex
MUMBAI: Despite illegal debris dumping being the city’s biggest problem right now, the BMC has granted permission to a private trust in Charkop to use a Development Plan-designated open space for debris dumping. The blatant dumping of rubble and stones, carried out by a large team of workers and machines, is clearly visible to most residents of the Highland Complex gated community in Charkop.
“How does a private trust manage to secure a BMC contract to set up a construction and demolition waste dump yard, claiming ownership of government land when the property card states otherwise?” asked Reji Abraham, president of the United Association for Social Educational and Public Welfare Trust, the primary complainant on this issue. “Politicians and the BMC’s R South ward assistant commissioner have a lot to answer for, having overlooked various deficiencies and dangers in granting this permission. Establishing such a dump yard in a densely populated area is a clear travesty of justice and will not go unchallenged.”
Abraham added that the illegal dumping and levelling using extensive manpower and machinery was bound to cause irreversible damage to the environment. “The risk of turning this vegetatively rich green area into a dumping ground is that the predicted heavy rains will destroy the water-absorbing natural sponge area which will add to the risk of floods in the adjacent areas, including the Kumbharkala nallah,” he said. “It (the permission) also clearly overlooks basic clearances from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, the DP dept (Coastal Regulatory Zone) and NOCs from other necessary enforcement authorities.”
Lalit Talekar, acting assistant commissioner who issued permission to the private trust to dump debris, remained unavailable for comment. HT has a copy of the permission granted.
A civic official from the solid waste management (SWM) department clarified that the BMC could issue permissions for a year and the site was registered on the Auto DCR portal for dumping of debris. “If it meets the criteria, permission can be granted by the BMC with the deputy municipal commissioner’s nod,” he said.
According to data from the SWM department, ₹49.81 lakh was collected as penalty for debris-dumping from 24 wards from November 2023 to May 2024. The maximum fines were collected from S ward in Bhandup ( ₹7.65 lakh), K East ward in Andheri East and E ward in Byculla ( ₹7 lakh each). No fines were collected from D ward on Malabar Hill, F south ward in Parel, G north ward in Dadar, R central ward in Borivali west and R north ward in Dahisar.
The highest number of complaints were received from Bhandup (245) and Govandi (151) and Kurla (65), while (61) complaints were received from Dongri, Pydhonie and Bhendi Bazaar. A ward in Colaba and G South ward in Worli received only one complaint.
The BMC currently offers an on-call service for collecting and disposing of construction waste, handling up to 300 metric tonnes at nominal charges. “Usually, we receive complaints of debris dumped in street corners,” said the civic official. “The rule is to make a call to the relevant BMC ward to lift the debris. The debris can come from domestic remodelling or demolition of a slum, but major debris comes from redevelopment.”
In Mumbai, there are many lands belonging to the Salt Commissioner, Mumbai Port Authority, MTNL and collector, and these lands, when not secured, become vulnerable to debris-dumping.
Recently, the BMC and Aarey Milk Colony passed the buck to each other for clearing the mountain of debris dumped in Aarey along the banks of the Mithi river. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) intervened and ordered the constitution of a committee to decide who would shoulder the burden. The committee will decide where the debris dumped from the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road near the Tapeshwar Mandir is to be shifted, who will bear the expenses, and how it will be carried out.
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