In a decision which is bound to spell trouble for the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), villagers living in Uttan near Bhayandar have threatened to restrict entry of garbage trucks to the dump yard in Dhaavgi village from 1, March. The strong resentment against the civic administration has been brewing in the coastal areas of Uttan, over the decade long dumping menace in the region, is once again taking shape of an unified agitation, which was apparently triggered due to the toxic gases which had engulfed the area following a massive fire at the dumping yard last week. Already compelled to face unbearable stench emanating from the waste process plant, the gas laced smoke had led to various medical complications like-coughing, breathlessness, headache and uneasiness among villager’s especially-senior citizens. “Least bothered about the health and environment concerns, the MBMC has been betraying us for more than 12 years. We have informed our decision to the civic administration of not allowing garbage trucks. Apart from health issues, our farmlands have become infertile due to leachate. Enough is enough, now we will not tolerate this further.” said fishing community leader- Leo Collaso. “We will soon hold a meeting with villagers and make them understand about the efforts being taken to decentralize the garbage disposal mechanism in an effective manner.” said a senior MBMC officer.
Irate over the unwillingness of the MBMC in taking steps to end the menace, the villagers apart from launching agitations, had also filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), seeking immediate shift of the waste plant. It may be recalled that the villagers had launched a massive agitation in September-2009 by restricting entry of garbage trucks to the facility for several weeks.
Faulty Location.
Apart from 8 to 10 tonnes of industrial and bio medical waste, the MBMC is daunted with a herculean task of disposing 550 metric tonnes of garbage every day. A huge quantity of unprocessed waste has also accumulated over the past six years at the uphill of the dumping yard which has added to the woes. This apart from an adverse impact on the environment owing to the faulty geographical location of the dumping yard, alleged villagers.
