Deonar fire: MCGM told to file affidavit on steps initiated to

In the backdrop of the fire in the Deonar dumping ground, the Bombay High Court today directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to file an affidavit stating what steps it has taken towards securing the dumping ground to prevent such incidents.
Parts of Mumbai have been engulfed in a thick blanket of smog since last week due to the fire at the Deonar dumping ground and other reasons, including a drop in temperature and vehicular pollution.
A division bench of Justices A S Oka and C V Bhadang asked the civic body to file an affidavit in a week on whether it has fenced the dumping ground, whether it has constructed a wall restricting entry of miscreants inside, if CCTVs are functional and if security guards are present round the clock.

The court also sought to know when the Corporation will stop dumping wastes at the Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds as they have reached their saturation point.
The Corporation said it was constructing waste disposal plant at Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds for better disposal of the wastes.
The state government today informed the court that it has already handed over possession of a 52-acre land at Taloja in Navi Mumbai and a 29-acre land in Airoli to the civic body to be used as dumping grounds.
On Friday, BMC had to shut down 74 schools run by it as the smoke from the ground following the fire covered the area causing breathing difficulties.

Deonar is one of the biggest and oldest dumping grounds in Mumbai and the huge heap of garbage at the 132-acre waste site reportedly stands 20 metres tall as high as an 18-storey tower.