BMC to set up pollution monitoring stations around Kanjurmarg dumping ground

Following repeated complaints of air pollution and consequent breathing and other health problems from residents staying close to the dumping grounds of the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is planning to set up three pollution monitoring stations around the newly-opened Kanjurmarg dumping ground to keep a check on the pollution levels emanating from the landfill.

The civic body in March this year started waste processing at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground. As per civic officials, the BMC is undertaking scientific processing of waste at the dumping ground.

Senior civic officials from the Solid Waste Management department of the BMC said they they have sent a proposal to National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) about setting up pollution monitoring stations around the Kanjurmarg dumping ground.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Pallavi Darade, in charge of the department, said the step is being taken so that the BMC can keep pollution in control. "Environment pollution close to dumping grounds is a problem and we want that the pollution levels are kept in control at the dumping ground," said Darade. Around three monitoring stations are likely to be set up around the dumping ground.

At present, 3,000 metric tons of garbage are being processed at the site, up from 500 metric tons when the landfill was opened.

Darade said that garbage generation in Mumbai has increased drastically over the last few years and that BMC is aware that it will increase further in the next few years. "We are looking out for other measures in the future. We are also planning to begin our waste-to-energy project at the Taloja dumping ground," Darade said.

She added, "The BMC along with MMRDA officials recently did a joint visit to the land at Taloja, which the civic administration plans to acquire for solid waste management. Acquiring the land may not be very easy, but we have shown our interest in it," said Darade.

The civic body, in its budget, has mentioned its plans to acquire the Taloja dumping ground for disposing the city's waste, but sources said this would be non-viable, looking at the cost of transportation of waste and prospective delays in land acquisition.