Mumbai: Pankaja Munde reviews BMC waste management, Mithi River revival; 7 STPs expected by 2028

Prajakta Munde said the civic administration was taking effective measures to address Mumbai’s waste management challenges. Pic/ BMC

Maharashtra Environment and Climate Change Minister Pankaja Munde on Monday expressed satisfaction with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) ongoing measures to improve solid waste management, expand sewage treatment infrastructure and rejuvenate the Mithi River.

Munde chaired a review meeting at the BMC headquarters, which was attended by Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the civic body.

BMC's debris tracking system registers 255 establishments

The BMC has launched the Mumbai Debris Control and Tracking System (MDCTS) to monitor the management, transportation, processing and disposal of construction and demolition (C and D) waste generated across Mumbai.

According to the civic body, 255 establishments have registered on the platform so far. The system aims to improve oversight of debris disposal and help prevent improper dumping.

Efforts are also underway to eliminate 231 garbage-vulnerable points (GVPs) across Mumbai. The BMC is also developing projects to generate energy from waste as part of its solid waste management initiatives.

Seven sewage treatment plants expected by 2028

The civic body informed officials that seven sewage treatment plants (STPs) are expected to become operational in Mumbai by around 2028. The projects are part of the BMC's efforts to improve sewage treatment infrastructure.

Munde said the civic administration was taking effective measures to address Mumbai's waste management challenges. However, she stressed that waste segregation needed to improve further.

She urged citizens to maintain cleanliness and segregate waste before handing it over for collection, highlighting the importance of public participation in improving the city's waste management system.

BMC's phased approach to Mithi River rejuvenation

Munde also expressed satisfaction with the BMC's ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the Mithi River, noting that the work was being undertaken in phases.

She said the state government was establishing a mechanism to support the rejuvenation of rivers across Maharashtra. Munde also described the sewage treatment plants being developed by the BMC as effective measures towards improving sewage management.

The meeting reviewed the civic body's initiatives in solid waste management, construction and demolition debris disposal, sewage treatment and river rejuvenation.