The Bombay High Court on Tuesday permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to continue dumping solid waste at the Deonar ground till December 31, but said it was the “last extension” being granted to the BMC.
In April 2013, the HC had directed the municipal corporation to close the dumping grounds at Deonar and Mulund within three months as the BMC did not have a plant to treat the waste at these places and did not comply with the Solid Waste Management Act.
Since then, the BMC has been granted extensions from time to time to close down the two dumping sites as it has been unable to find an alternative site to set up a dumping ground with a solid waste plant.
Hearing yet another application by the BMC seeking an extension on Tuesday, a Division Bench of Justices A.S. Oka and M.S. Sanklecha said it was granting time for the last time. “We make it clear that under no circumstances further time will be granted. Sufficient time has been already given to the corporation to comply with earlier orders,” it said.
The judges also took note of assurance given by the BMC that it would use only 70 hectares of the Deonar site to dump solid waste.
