Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday directed civic authorities to strengthen odour-control measures at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, citing persistent complaints from nearby residents about foul smell.
Push for tighter odour-control measures
Chairing a review meeting at Mantralaya, Shinde said the spraying of odour-neutralising solutions must be intensified and closely monitored. He also called for large-scale bamboo plantation within the dumping ground to help contain the spread of odour.
Officials were instructed to ensure strict compliance with directions issued by the High Court on waste management and environmental safeguards.
Waste processing activities to be relocated
The Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that waste-processing activities generating strong odours, including composting and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) operations, should not be carried out near residential areas. He directed authorities to shift such activities to locations at least 500 metres away to reduce health risks and inconvenience to residents.
Waste-to-energy project to be expedited
As part of long-term solutions, Shinde asked the municipal corporation to accelerate the implementation of the proposed waste-to-energy project after completing necessary technical evaluations. The move is expected to improve waste disposal efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Current waste handling at Kanjurmarg
According to civic officials, the Kanjurmarg site currently processes around 6,200 tonnes of waste daily through landfilling, composting, and segregation. Nearly 190 million metric tonnes of waste have been processed at the site so far.
Existing odour-control measures include bio-enzyme spraying, soil covering, landfill gas management systems, and misting processes. However, authorities were told to scale up these efforts to ensure that residents in surrounding areas do not face continued discomfort.
Officials present at the meeting
The meeting was attended by senior state and municipal officials, including Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Chief Secretary Aseem Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary Naveen Sona, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Dr. Govindraj, BMC Additional Commissioner Vipin Sharma, Principal Secretary (Environment) Jayshree Bhoj, and Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao.
BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and other municipal commissioners from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region joined the meeting via video conferencing.
