‘Only those who suffer know the plight': HC slams unchecked Kanjurmarg dumping ground
'Only those who suffer such pollution know their plight,' remarked the division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Arif Doctor, as they heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by environmental group Vanashakti and others. The PIL challenges the continued dumping of municipal solid waste at the Kanjurmarg site, which is located in the heart of a densely populated area.
Mumbai generates around 7,300 metric tonnes of waste every day, much of which ends up at two massive dumping grounds — Kanjurmarg and Deonar. The court observed with concern that both these sites are embedded within the city's fabric, surrounded by homes, schools, and offices.
The bench urged the state government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and adjoining civic bodies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to seriously rethink the consequences of allowing such dumping grounds to operate in urban areas. 'A scientific approach is urgently required,' the court said, 'with robust, permanent waste management facilities developed outside zones of human habitation, and equipped with modern, environmentally compliant infrastructure.'
Suggesting a more coordinated regional approach, the court proposed that large urban municipalities across the MMR could be clubbed together to identify alternative waste disposal sites — ones that do not compromise the well-being of city residents.
'There cannot be an ad hoc approach to this crisis, especially when lakhs of citizens are directly affected by the pollution and stench that emanates daily from these dumping grounds,' the bench noted. 'These sites have become an unfortunate, but integral part of the city. That must change.'
The court also pointed to a broader environmental risk — warning that pollution from the dumping grounds doesn't remain confined to the local area. Air currents carry foul odours and toxic emissions across the city, it observed, contributing to Mumbai's worsening air quality. 'The haze in the city of Mumbai is created by pollution. A significant part of it stems from smoke and odour generated by these dumping grounds. This contribution cannot be overlooked,' it said.
The justices did not mince words when speaking about the failure of municipal authorities. They said the administration had failed to safeguard citizens' fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, and that people living near the Kanjurmarg site have endured prolonged and intolerable suffering due to the odour and pollution.
The court has scheduled the next hearing in the matter for July 8, expressing hope that senior officials in the state and municipal bodies will treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves.
'With their wisdom and resources, we trust that authorities will act in the larger public interest,' the bench concluded. 'This city deserves a permanent and scientifically sound solution that protects the rights and health of its people.'
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A rising trend of transferring all assets to parents before marriage is seen due to such judicial norms being mandated in the Court while ascertaining the interim maintenance to be paid to wife will consider these additional factors in addition to income earned by husband:(a) Income of the parents of the husband(b) Standard of life enjoyed by the wife in the matrimonial home.(c) Reasonable needs of the wife.(d) Assets owned by the the position taken by Bombay High Court, the husband must be very conscious while appealing an interim order of maintenance and must not base the challenge only on the income earned by him and his wife. Husbands while litigating the maintenance orders must look into the income of the family as a whole and the standard of life enjoyed by the wife in the matrimonial home.
Indian Express
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