Mumbai, May 7: The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued a series of directions to the BMC and strongly criticised the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for its inaction in addressing odour and pollution levels at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground.
Court orders daily night-time monitoring
A division bench of Justice G.S. Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe directed daily monitoring of odour, emissions and pollution levels at the dumping facility between 1 am and 6 am, stressing the need for continuous oversight during night operations.
The court pulled up the MPCB, describing it as a “silent spectator” to the ongoing problem.
It observed that the board had not taken any effective steps to monitor pollution, air quality index (AQI), or odour in and around the dumping facility.
The bench noted that this responsibility squarely lies with the MPCB, which appeared to have failed in discharging its statutory duties, reflecting a “lackadaisical attitude” towards a serious issue affecting public health in Mumbai.
MPCB directed to file affidavit
The court directed the MPCB to file an affidavit detailing the actions it has undertaken so far.
It also ordered a statutory audit and vigilance inspection of the Kanjurmarg dumping facility to ensure compliance with environmental norms by the BMC and its appointed contractors.
Court seeks enhanced CCTV surveillance
Further, the bench directed installation of additional CCTV cameras at the site.
It ordered that CCTV footage, along with live coverage, be linked to the Municipal Corporation’s website and control systems to monitor night-time activities.
The court also directed that 24x7 CCTV surveillance be integrated with the civic body’s office for continuous oversight.
Citizen grievance mechanism to be improved
The court further asked that the existing online portal operated by the contractor be made more citizen-friendly and include an immediate grievance redress mechanism for residents affected by pollution and odour.
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Additionally, the bench directed that an officer from the MPCB as well as the petitioner be included in a monitoring committee to oversee compliance, implementation of directions and corrective measures at the dumping ground.
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