Mumbai: BMC To Plant 15,000 Trees Around Kanjurmarg Dumping Ground To Reduce Odour, Pollution

Mumbai, May 13: The BMC has decided to plant as many as 15,000 trees on 1 lakh sq m of land around the Kanjurmarg dumping ground to create a green belt and reduce odour.

The plantations will begin from June. The green buffer zone between the waste processing facilities and habitation areas is part of the "Immediate Environmental Mitigation & Odour Management Measures" to be taken by the civic body, with the objective of transitioning Kanjurmarg from a conventional waste handling site towards a scientifically managed environmental mitigation and sustainable waste processing ecosystem.

The decision was taken following the Bombay High Court-appointed monitoring committee's site visit. The HC has been slamming the BMC for its inaction in addressing odour and pollution levels at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, and its “lackadaisical attitude” towards a serious issue affecting public health in Mumbai.

BMC plans environmental buffer and odour control

Apart from creating an Environmental Buffer & Green Transition, the immediate mitigation measures include a Scientific Odour Mitigation Strategy, Real-Time Monitoring & Response Mechanism, and Rationalisation of Processing Facilities, under which the recycling facilities falling within the buffer zone will be relocated.

As per the HC monitoring committee's direction, the buffer zone from the residential area should be at least 500 metres, which currently is around 200 metres.

"The relocation of the recycling facilities will be done by the contractor and is expected to be completed within the next seven to eight months. The plantations for the greening zone will start on the available land from next month as the trees can grow well in the monsoon. The BMC will submit its list of immediate mitigation measures to the HC during the next hearing scheduled on June 11," said Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar.

The plantation strategy in the green buffer includes an outer zone with tall trees, a middle zone with medium-height trees, an inner zone with dense shrubs, and the use of native species that are pollution-tolerant, low-maintenance, and ecologically compatible with landfill areas.

Petitioner questions effectiveness of measures

Satish Yelve, the petitioner of the PIL, said, "By the list of immediate mitigation measures of the BMC, it is clear that it has accepted that the so-called measures taken in the last 12 years have failed. The HC had directed the BMC to shift the dumping ground itself instead of measures, but the corporation got a stay from the Supreme Court. These plantations for the green zone will take some 10 years to grow. How will the BMC compensate the affected citizens till then?" Yelve said.

He also raised concerns over the survival of the trees, considering the BMC’s past history regarding the survival rate of tree plantations.

The Kanjurmarg dumping ground sees an average of 6,000 metric tonnes of garbage dumped daily, of which 1,000 metric tonnes is recycled and the remaining is dumped at the bioreactor.

Also Watch:

Bhide reviews odour monitoring measures

On Tuesday, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide visited the Kanjurmarg dumping ground. She also instructed the deployment of special dedicated teams from the BMC, MPCB, and the contractor. A separate control room will be set up to check and monitor the odour situation between 1 am and 6 am, and immediate action will be taken in case of complaints, in accordance with the HC order.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/