Will a High-Powered Committee Resolve Kanjurmarg's Dumping Ground Issues?

Mumbai, July 11 (NationPress) Minister Uday Samant declared in the state assembly that a high-powered committee will be established to investigate ongoing complaints from residents concerning the waste management practices at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground in Mumbai.

Responding to a calling attention motion introduced by BJP member Mihir Kotecha, Minister Samant noted that in 2011, the contract for the Kanjur Dumping Project was awarded to M/s Anthony Lara Enviro Solution Private Limited for a duration of 25 years. However, it has been identified that the terms of the contract regarding operation, maintenance, and odour management have not been upheld, leading to public grievances.

“A high-level committee will be constituted soon to investigate the failures in delivering on contract obligations. Class-1 officials from the relevant departments will be appointed as committee members. Furthermore, a meeting will convene under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde,” Minister Samant stated.

He assured that no one involved will evade accountability in this issue, and that no further contracts will be granted to the current contractor.

Kotecha highlighted the health risks faced by residents near the Kanjur Marg dumping site. He accused the contractor of dumping untreated solid and liquid waste, which has resulted in air pollution and health issues for locals. He also criticized the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for failing to take action against the contractor.

Shiv Sena UBT member Sunil Raut echoed these concerns, noting that despite repeated complaints to the BMC, there has been no improvement regarding the unpleasant odour and air pollution emanating from the Kanjur Marg dumping ground. He urged for its relocation as soon as possible.

Minister Samant further informed the assembly that a third-party audit will be conducted by independent experts to address the serious complaints regarding the Kanjur Dumping Ground.

In another announcement, Minister Samant revealed plans for a special initiative to manage the stray dog population in the state. While responding to member Amit Gorkhe’s discussion, he acknowledged the rising number of stray dog bites occurring statewide. He highlighted the central government's guidelines on sterilizing these dogs and administering anti-rabies vaccines.

Minister Samant reported that in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation regions, there were 16,569 dog bite incidents in 2022, which surged to 22,945 in 2023 and 25,899 in 2024. In the Pimpri Chinchwad area, 1,421 dogs were neutered in 2022-23, with 3,598 and 3,346 being neutered in the following years. Similarly, in Pune, 9,663 dogs underwent neutering in 2022-23, with a total of 26,000 in 2023-24 and 56,511 in 2024-25.

According to central government regulations, sterilized stray dogs must be returned to their original locations. Local authorities are tasked with implementing this through tender processes. Given the widespread nature of this issue, a special state-level campaign will be launched, with assurances of funding to support these efforts.