Mumbai, November 3, 2026: The Bombay High Court has questioned the role of corporators and councillors in keeping their respective wards clean, asking what they were doing to address the recurring problem of garbage dumping on public streets.
Observing that elected representatives appeared to be doing little beyond criticising the civic administration, the court said they had a responsibility towards the areas they represented.
The court also warned that it may have to pass “drastic orders” if the recurring problem of foul smell and pollution from the Kanjurmarg dumping ground was not brought under control.
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale made the observations while hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Kannamwar Nagar CHS Association Ltd, concerning foul odour, toxic gas emissions and health hazards faced by residents near the dumping ground.
Court Unhappy With Existing Measures
“We are not fully happy with the steps taken. Sometimes the situation is fine and sometimes it is not. Things need to be under control now,” the bench said, adding that it was not getting satisfactory results despite repeated measures.
The judges said installing sprinklers and taking similar steps were only symptomatic measures and would not address the root of the problem. They called for a different approach to waste management, particularly on-site segregation and decentralisation of the process.
“We feel something different needs to be done now. On-site segregation needs to be done differently,” the bench observed, noting that residents continued to complain about foul smell, particularly in the mornings.
Three-Member Team To Assist Court
The bench announced that it would appoint a three-member team of advocates as amici curiae to assist it. It asked the Municipal Commissioner to examine whether waste segregation could be decentralised and conduct ward-wise audits of the garbage situation.
It also directed the civic chief to take action against ward officers responsible for allowing garbage to accumulate on streets and submit details of action taken.
Judges Question Corporators’ Role
The judges questioned why corporators were not showing what steps they had taken to keep their wards clean. “Show us one corporator who has shown steps taken. And you want votes. What do you do?” the bench remarked.
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On October 22, the court had asked the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to consider deterrent measures against slum dwellers repeatedly dumping garbage on public streets, including forfeiture of their rights to permanent alternate accommodation.
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