IE: Closure of Gorai dumping ground delayed: Feb 18,2008

Closure of Gorai dumping ground delayed, admits BMC

Well past December deadline fixed by court, civic body still awaiting clearances for Kanjur Marg landfill site

SHWETA DESAI

A MONTH and half after a court-appointed deadline to shut down the Gorai dumping ground, it continues to be used by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. In fact, though the BMC had assured the Bombay High Court that the dump would be closed in December 2007, the civic administration is now seeking additional time.

“The BMC has given an application to the Bombay High Court stating that the closure of Gorai will take more time,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) R A Rajeev.

The Gorai dump will, therefore, be functional for at least another “six months”. “We are waiting for environmental clearances from the Centre for the Kanjur Marg landfill site,” Rajeev added.

The civic body was forced to shut the Gorai dump following court directives. It had reached its highest capacity (1,200 tonnes per day). Accordingly, closure operations at Gorai began on March 19, 2007, with plans to shift operations to the new sanitary landfill site at Kanjur Marg.

Currently, the civic body disposes of construction debris at Gorai and cannot rule out the possibility of continuing the dumping of garbage in Gorai in case the development of the Kanjur Marg site is further delayed.

Local Shiv Sena corporator Sadanand Surve said he along with local residents had met municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak last week. “The closure of the dump site has been delayed, but since they are only taking construction debris into it, we are not opposing. We will not allow any further disposal of garbage here,” he said.

On an average, Mumbai produces 6,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, which goes to three dumping grounds Deonar (4,000 tonnes per day), Mulund (600 tonnes per day) and Gorai (1,200 tonnes per day). With townships on the city’s outskirts flatly refusing to part with land for Mumbai’s garbage, the challenge of dealing with such a huge daily production of waste will continue in the coming months.

Although the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given an in-principle’ approval to the landfill site, final approvals are pending.

Also pending are amendments to the Coastal Regulation Zone rules since land-filling is not per mitted as in CRZ areas. Finally, the BMC also needs the HC’s nod for clearing around 30 hectares of mangroves on the 143-hectare site, Rajeev added.

“The notification should be issued in a few months’ time and once we get all the clearances, the Gorai dump will be closed,” he said.

For now, the civic administration will set up “transfer stations” at Gorai, where the western suburbs’ garbage will be collected and then transferred to the Mulund or Deonar dumps, according to Deputy Chief Engineer (Solid Waste Management) Y M Chikhale.

A MONTH and half af- ter a court-appointed deadline to shut down the Gorai dumping ground, it continues to be used by the Brihanmumbai Munici- pal Corporation. In fact, though the BMC had assured the Bom- bay High Court that the dump would be closed in December 2007, the civic administration is now seeking additional time. “The BMC has given an ap- plication to the Bombay High Court stating that the closure of Gorai will take more time,” said Additional Municipal Commis- sioner (City) R A Rajeev. The Gorai dump will, there- fore, be functional for at least an- other “six months”. “We are wait- ing for environmental clearances from the Centre for the Kanjur Marg landfill site,” Rajeev added. The civic body was forced to shut the Gorai dump following court directives. It had reached its highest capacity (1,200 tonnes per day). Accordingly, closure opera- tions at Gorai began on March 19, 2007, with plans to shift opera- tions to the new sanitary landfill site at Kanjur Marg. Currently, the civic body dis- poses of construction debris at Gorai and cannot rule out the possibility of continuing the dumping of garbage in Gorai in case the development of the Kan- jur Marg site is further delayed. Local Shiv Sena corporator Sadanand Surve said he along with local residents had met mu- nicipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak last week. “The closure of the dump site has been delayed, but since they are only taking construction debris into it, we are not opposing. We will not allow any further disposal of garbage here,” he said. On an average, Mumbai pro- duces 6,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, which goes to three dumping grounds – Deonar (4,000 tonnes per day), Mulund (600 tonnes per day) and Gorai (1,200 tonnes per day). With townships on the city’s outskirts flatly refusing to part with land for Mumbai’s garbage, the challenge of dealing with such a huge daily produc- tion of waste will continue in the coming months. Although the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given an in-principle’ approval to the landfill site, final approvals are pending. Also pending are amendments to the Coastal Regulation Zone rules since land-filling is not per- mitted as in CRZ areas. Finally, the BMC also needs the HC’s nod for clearing around 30 hectares of mangroves on the 143-hectare site, Rajeev added. “The notification should be is- sued in a few months’ time and once we get all the clearances, the Gorai dump will be closed,” he said. For now, the civic administra- tion will set up “transfer stations” at Gorai, where the western suburbs’ garbage will be collected and then transferred to the Mulund or Deonar dumps, ac- cording to Deputy Chief Engi- neer (Solid Waste Management) Y M Chikhale.