MUMBAI: Residents of housing colonies in Vikhroli (East), located near the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, filed complaints with the police on Tuesday night after a stench from the dump became unbearable.
Kannamwar Nagar and Tagore Nagar, localities along the Eastern Express Highway, situated a few hundred metres from the dump, are the worst affected. “We have to keep doors and windows constantly shut,” said Vishwajeet Dholam, resident of Kannamwar Nagar.
Another resident, Rahul Waghdare, said children had been complaining about the smell. “Breathing problems, infected eyes and nausea have become common complaints. We went to the police when we could not take it anymore.” Wagdhare said residents and police personnel visited the dumping ground to find out what was being done to control the stench. “An officer from the solid waste management department visited the site at 11pm and told us that nothing was done to control the smell,” said Waghdare.
According to a resident who did not want to be named, there are no records being maintained by the contractors employed at the dumping ground for the number of dumper trucks entering the ground. “As per Supreme Court guidelines, there should be segregation of solid and liquid waste, proper chemicals should be utilised to control the foul smell and a limited number of trucks should be allowed to enter the facility. All these rules are being violated by contractors,” he said.
Officers from Vikhroli police station confirmed that the problem had increased over the last 10 days. They said a complaint under section 268 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for public nuisance, had been registered. “I have written two letters asking the civic body to take precautionary measures and take appropriate action regarding the smell. It is a problem for all residing or working in the area,” said DM Desai, senior inspector, Vikhroli police station.
An official from the solid waste department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said various measures had been put in place to control the smell. “After the rain, due to decomposition of garbage, a lot of gases are released, causing the stench. The bioreactor installed at the dumping ground has an automatic flaring station mechanism to burn the gas, especially methane,” said the official.
The official said that BMC has sanctioned Rs1.80 crore for monitoring of various environmental parameters at the site. “We have also begun using additional measures such as spraying of enzyme-based products at Kanjurmarg to decrease the stench,” he said.
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