NGO says rain makes the stench, which is at its peak at night, worse for eastern suburbs residents
Residents have been dealing with the stench from the Kanjurmarg dumping ground for years
Residents of Kanjurmarg, Mulund and nearby areas have been having sleepless nights recently because of the foul odour emanating from the dumping ground in the former suburb. NGO Vanashakti has written to the state Environment Department about the untreated garbage being left in the open.
NGO director Stalin D, in the letter, stated that the stench starts around 11 pm and stay till early morning. However, as monsoons have begun, it is present throughout the day. The environmentalist has demanded that an officer be deputed to visit Kanjurmarg and Bhandup East for a first-hand experience.
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"The dumping site is a huge health hazard. It is polluting everything in a 2-km radius. No scientific management is being done on the site. The Bioreactor technology is leading to the uncontrollable stench during the monsoon," the letter said. "We request you to conduct a site visit with the complainant at the earliest and take action against the violations of pollution laws." The NGO backed its claims with pictures of garbage having been dumped in mangroves and wetlands.
The stench from the dumping ground, especially during monsoon, has been a perennial problem in the eastern suburbs. Residents are forced to use room fresheners and keep their windows closed at all times to manage the stench. Some people have also had to deal with nausea and vomiting sensations.
The dumping ground processes 80 per cent of Mumbai's waste.
Reggie D'Souza, a resident of a posh housing complex in Bhandup West, said, "The foul smell has increased manifold during monsoon and this has been happening for the past two years. We stay two to three kilometres away from the dumping yard. The smell is strongest between 1 am to 6 am . BMC needs to do something to control the odour because it is definitely dangerous for our health."
Locals also told mid-day that they have been writing consistently to the authorities but there has been no permanent solution so far.
80%
Proportion of waste from city the dump processes
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