Panel to visit UAE, China, Japan for Kanjurmarg waste management: Bombay high court

Mumbai: The Bombay high court recently directed that a visit be planned to modern and technically advanced facilities implemented in Dubai (UAE), Shenzhen (China) and Tokyo (Japan) for handling waste at Kanjurmarg dumping groundThe HC had earlier appointed a monitoring panel which submitted a report last month. A bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni said the issue can be studied better by visiting the sites in these countries to bring in "best of the reforms'' to be implemented at the Kanjurmarg site.The HC said there is an immediate need for the municipal corporation to create a permanent robust technical cell, considering such large-scale disposal of waste. The activities at the site are required to be monitored and implemented effectively, when issues of serious public concern affecting the right to life are involved in such activities being undertaken by the municipal corporation through its contractors, the HC said.The technical cell to be created by the municipal corporation needs to be proactively functional throughout the year, and the experts therein would monitor the same, as suggested by the committee. "It is only then, such issues can be effectively managed so as to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens who are adversely affected by the severe pollution created by the dumping grounds by providing a stink free/ odourless breathing, maintaining fresh air,'' the HC said.The advocates include Abhijeet Rane (for Kannamwar CHS), Saket Mone (for the company that set up a scientific facility to treat waste), the state's lawyer Jyoti Chavan and members of the expert committee will form the panel visiting suggested facilities that include, Dubai Waste Management Centre, Warsan, China's Shenzhen East WtE Plant and Japan's Tokyo 23-Ward Incineration System (multi-plant, high-efficiency, ultra-low emissions).The HC said citizens who are adversely affected due to the polluted air caused by such activity, ought not to continue with such suffering.