Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 8: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday criticised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over Mumbai’s persistent garbage and cleanliness problems, observing that keeping South Mumbai clean does not mean the entire city is clean.

A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale said garbage continues to be dumped on roads despite the civic body having submitted a cleanliness plan covering all 24 municipal wards.

“Everywhere there is filth... South Mumbai isn't the entire city. Just because areas like South Mumbai and Worli are clean, does not mean the whole of Mumbai is clean,” the court observed.

The bench particularly pointed to the western suburbs, saying the garbage situation in areas such as Jogeshwari and Malad was among the worst.

The court directed the BMC to submit a comprehensive affidavit detailing the steps taken by ward officers to ascertain the actual situation on the ground. It also sought details of measures undertaken on Gandhi Jayanti as part of the Swachhata Abhiyan.

The observations came while the court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the continued dumping of municipal solid waste at the Kanjurmarg landfill.

The bench said there had been little improvement in Mumbai’s hygiene despite several directions issued by the court over the years.

“We aren't against anybody, but basic hygiene discipline must be there. Ward hygiene must be maintained. We are concerned with the lives of the citizens, their health, their hygiene, etc.,” the bench said.

On September 10, the court had warned the BMC of contempt action against ward officers if they failed to address the persistent garbage and littering problem. It had also stressed the need for stricter enforcement of existing rules, noting that residents continued to dump waste in open spaces.

The bench observed that while the city has adequate laws to tackle the problem, enforcement remains a major challenge.

The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for October 22.