The Indian Express              21.05.2013

BMC to knock on govt door for solution

FOLLOWING Bombay High Court order banning disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, BMC has decided to approach the state government to find a solution to the problem of lack of landfill sites.

Earlier, the partially opened Kanjurmarg dumping ground received 500 metric tonnes of garbage daily. The Mulund dumping ground received 1,000-1,500 metric tonnes and Deonar received the remaining chunk of 5,500 metric tonnes.

The HC order has now considerably increased pressure on the Deonar and Mulund landfills. The capacity of these two landfills was breached in 2009 and 2010, respectively. "We are following HC's decision but Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds have reached their capacity. We will soon have no place to dump garbage. We will approach the state government on the issue and jointly file an appeal in the Supreme Court," said deputy municipal commissioner Prakash Patil.

For the last two years, BMC has been writing to the state government requesting amendment to a clause in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act of 1886 to include the name of the contractor to the land lease agreement for landfill sites. Till date, garbage remains untreated at the two main dumping grounds as contractors refuse to set up a facility without their name added to the lease agreement between the BMC and the state government.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) rules of 2000 say the state government must provide land to BMC for garbage treatment and disposal plants, and the corporation must ensure that the waste is processed. "HC made its decision based on data provided by MPCB and MCZMA. The state is yet to make an amendment to the MMC Act so that we can lease out dumping grounds properly and begin waste treatment practices," Patil said.

"Contractors say it is difficult for them to get bank funds to set up the composting plant without the lease agreement in their name," Patil added.