Govandi residents up in arms over Deonar waste-to-energy project
Residents and activists from Mumbai's Govandi area have raised strong objections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) proposed waste-to-energy (WtE) plant at Deonar, the country's largest dumping ground, claiming that the ₹2,648 crore facility will worsen air quality and endanger public health.
The upcoming plant, to be installed by Chennai MSW Pvt Ltd over 8.2 hectares, is expected to process 1,800 tonnes per day of municipal waste and generate eight megawatts of electricity by October 2025. However, residents from nearby Baiganwadi and Shivaji Nagar fear it will emit toxic gases, aggravating respiratory diseases in an already vulnerable population.
'The prevalence of TB and asthma is already high here. Every other house has a patient. Adding another pollutant-heavy project is dangerous,' said Zakir (30), a resident of Baiganwadi for 25 years.
Another Baiganwadi resident, employed at the dumping ground, echoed the sentiment: 'No technology can fully control emissions. This will only get dangerous.'
The area, home to over 10 lakh people across 200 slum pockets, also faces further crowding due to planned relocations from the Dharavi redevelopment project.
Legal battle
Bombay High Court lawyer Abid Abbas Sayyed, representing concerned citizens, has filed objections with the BMC Commissioner, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and others. 'The plant will release carcinogens, dioxins, furans, carbon monoxide, and sulphur oxides. Respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD are already rampant here. What guarantees are there that emissions will be controlled?' he asked.
While the BMC insists the plant is environmentally sound and MPCB-cleared, residents remain unconvinced. 'The biomedical waste facility here was also promised to be safe. Now, we wake up to black dust on our vehicles and a constant foul smell,' said Aditya, a 35-year-old Shivaji Nagar resident working at the dumping ground.
According to a Tata Institute of Social Sciences study, the average life expectancy in Govandi is just 39 years. 'We are already breathing methane and other toxic gases from existing waste units. How much more can we take?' said Mr. Aditya.
Mr. Sayyed also highlighted that the biomedical waste facility operated for five years without MPCB clearance. Despite a court order for its relocation six months ago, no action has been taken. 'How can we trust the same agencies [MPCB and BMC] now?' he questioned.
Citizens' group Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society filed a High Court petition in October 2022, demanding the facility's closure. In response, MPCB officer Rakesh Dafade stated the WtE project was evaluated for over a year, and measures like scrubbers, a 50-meter chimney, and leachate treatment systems are planned to curb pollution.
Waste segregation worry
However, for residents, the core concern remains unaddressed— waste segregation. 'Deonar's waste is a toxic mix of wet, dry, plastic, and even biomedical material. Without proper segregation, how can this project work without causing harm?' asked Mr. Aditya.
Mr. Sayyed's objection letter accuses BMC of violating the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, particularly Rule 15, which mandates segregation at source and scientific processing. It noted that Mumbai's waste's low calorific value due to its high organic content makes it unsuitable for energy recovery, adding that seven of the 14 WtE plants in India have already shut down for similar reasons.
Residents are demanding a stay on the project until a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and medical and environmental studies in Govandi are conducted. An RTI has also been filed to access clearance documentation and environmental reports related to the project.
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