The National Green Tribunal has dismissed the application filed against the 14th-century Haji Ali Dargah and several government bodies, which alleged negligence in addressing pollution caused by the surrounding areas of the dargah.
In 2018, a complaint was filed by a group of law students that poor waste management at the site had led to severe ecological degradation and health hazards for the thousands of visitors to the dargah.
The complaint was lodged against the dargah management, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), State Environment Department, Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), BMC, and the Urban Development Department.
“The cement concrete pathway to the dargah is inundated with waste plastic disposables, cloth, and glass products on either side. There is no system in place to manage the waste being dumped along the walkway, which then gets washed into the Arabian Sea. Numerous plastic carry-bags and bottles are observed lying on both sides of the walkway,” the complaint copy read. It also stressed upon concerns about toilet waste being discharged into the sea.
Following the complaint, the tribunal asked the authorities to file their reply. The MPCB in its reply said that solid waste from the dargah premises is regularly collected and transported to the Deonar and Kanjurmarg dumping grounds for proper treatment. They said that waste from the toilets undergoes treatment before being released deep into the sea, rather than being discharged directly.
“In connection with religious waste like the chadars and flowers offered at the shrine, these are collected in dustbins and disposed of at the dumping grounds. NGOs manually collect garbage and floating material from the seashore as needed. However, clearing the dustbins from the dargah is influenced by the tide. During high tides, the walkway to the dargah submerges, and waste collection is scheduled accordingly,” the reply copy read.
“The disposal of toilet waste has been appropriately addressed. A sewage treatment plant (STP) with 40-kilo liters per day (KLD) capacity has been installed within the dargah premises, sufficient to manage the waste from the toilets. Therefore, in our opinion, the dargah’s management has adequately handled all aspects in this regard. Solid waste collection is regularly conducted by the BMC, as reflected in their affidavit,” the reply copy said.
