Navi Mumbai: While Navi Mumbai is proud to be ranked third in the list of cleanest cities in the country, a question has now arisen as to whether there is an adequate, authorised and integrated collection, transportation, processing and disposal system for the Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste, ie debris, generated in this city. Alert Citizens Forum has complained to Prime Minister’s office demanding that this serious administrative and environmental issue be taken into account. The complaint is based on information sought from City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) under Right to Information Act.The Forum said records of a subsequent first-appeal hearing raised questions about the availability of an integrated, authorised debris-disposal system across CIDCO’s jurisdiction. Large quantities of C&D waste are generated by redevelopment, road, metro, infrastructure and other construction projects in Navi Mumbai. NMMC sources said that a C&D waste plant has been proposed at the Turbhe landfill site. Ironically, Cidco officials said the debris is being dumped in the low-lying areas in the absence of a processing plant.While action against unauthorised dumping was necessary, citizens, contractors and transporters should also have accessible legal alternatives, the Forum said. It warned that inadequate authorised facilities increased the risk of debris being dumped in wetlands, mangroves, low-lying areas, natural streams, waterways, creek areas, hill slopes and open plots. Such dumping could affect natural drainage, biodiversity, soil and water resources, said greens.The Forum said it was not questioning Navi Mumbai’s cleanliness ranking, but sought scrutiny of the entire C&D waste chain, from generation and collection to transportation, processing, recycling and final disposal, during future national cleanliness assessments. It demanded an independent assessment of Navi Mumbai’s C&D waste-management system by Central govt and a factual report from Maharashtra govt, CIDCO and NMMC.Its proposals include an integrated C&D waste-management policy for municipal corporation and CIDCO areas, authorised collection and disposal sites, modern processing and recycling centres, and a “Debris on Call” service for citizens. The Forum also sought digital passes and GPS tracking for debris transport, mandatory waste-management plans for major redevelopment and infrastructure projects, and digital records covering waste generated by govt development works through its final disposal.Other demands include joint monitoring to prevent dumping in environmentally sensitive areas, publication of an action-taken report after reviewing previous committees and measures, and preparation of a time-bound integrated action plan within six months. Activist Dattaram Sakpal said the administration should create an official, legal and viable disposal system rather than relying mainly on punitive action against unauthorised dumping.
