HC restrains BMC from dumping garbage in mangroves areas

Mumbai, Mar 29 (UNI) Bombay High Court today directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to stop dumping garbage and toxic waste material in the area with mangroves at Kanjurmarg and Bandra Kurla Complex to prevent them from destruction.

A divsion bench comprising Chief Justice Kshitij Vyas and Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud affirmed the Apex Court order to protect mangroves and prevent any activity that leads to their destruction.

Following a petition filed by the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), that parts of the Kanjurmarg mangroves which comes under CRZ1 were being used as dumping ground and the sludge from desilting of the Mithi river was being dumped around the mangroves at Bandra Kurla Complex exactly behind the MMRDA office, the court held that the dumping should be stopped and the Mithi silt should be treated and disposed according to the toxic waste disposal rules provided by the Government.

The petitioner also contended that while the destruction of mangroves should be stopped according to an order passed by the court in October last year, there was still rampant destruction that could be proved by comparing the photographs of October last year and February this year.

The petitioner's counsel also produced in court the submission of the Konkan Commissioner that dumping was going on at Kanjurmarg mangroves.

In response to the petition, the authority's counsels submitted that out of the 22 sites that were inspected for dumping of toxic wastes, only three sites were affirmed to have toxic waste deposits and the necessary directions were already passed by them.

While the court asked for demarcation of the dumping ground and CRZ areas of Kanjurmarg, the state counsel submitted that 141 hectares were not part of the CRZ and used for dumping. But the petitioner's counsel provided photographs that contradicted the statement and thus the state has been given time upto April 4 to take the necessary action following the court's directions.

UNI XR-ARM KD PR DB2031