NGT pulls up Haji Ali for poor waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Pune on Monday issued a notice to the Haji Ali Dargah trust, which manages the Haji Ali shrine in Worli, asking them to file a reply to a petition filed by six law students claiming severe environmental degradation and ecological harm to the Arabian Sea due to improper waste management and sanitation systems at the shrine's premises.

In their petition, filed through advocate Asim Sarode, the six students — Aamir Shaikh, Deepak Chatap and others — have claimed that due to improper management of solid waste which includes paraphernalia related to religious ceremonies such as a variety of bio-degradable items, plastic and cloth products, these are being dumped in the Arabian Sea that surrounds the shrine. Further, the petition claims that the sewage water from the shrine's premises includes a continuous discharge of human waste from its toilet facilities.

The plea prays for directions to the trust to install more dustbins on the road leading to the shrine and within its premises. It also asks to stop releasing excrement and sewage water into the Arabian Sea from the toilets constructed within the shrine's premises. The petition also recommends imposing a fine for causing environmental degradation.

In addition to a reply from the trust, NGT has also sought replies from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, State Environment Authority, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and others. The replies have to be filed on the next date of hearing which is scheduled in March.

ALLEGATIONS:

• The petitioners witnessed items like cloth and flower garlands being dumped around the shrine and swept away by the waves.
• They also claim that outlets of the toilets, constructed within the premises, lead straight into the sea.
• The petitioners state this can cause serious damage to marine life and lead to waste formation on land.