Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde and Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, took a joint meeting to discuss outstanding issues pertaining to Solid Waste Management. Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Secretary, MoHUA, and other senior officials also attended the meeting virtually.

Mumbai being vibrant urban hub has its challenges of managing the waste generated (approx 7500 tons per day) from residential colonies, commercial places, slums etc. Various issues pertaining to wet & dry municipal waste management, construction & demolition waste being generated from various infrastructure projects were discussed along with the progress of various waste management plants that have been approved. The bioremediation of legacy dumpsites at Mulund and Deonar was also discussed. The prospect of waste to bio-CNG plants in collaboration with OMCs was agreed upon as a high potential area of waste to wealth and circular economy.

It was decided to designate a 3-member team from MOHUA under chairmanship of Secretary, MOHUA and a 3-member team from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under the chairmanship of the Commissioner to work out an emergency action plan for solid waste processing and legacy dumpsite remediation for Mumbai which would thereafter carve the path for implementation BMC.

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on October 1, 2021 had announced the plan to make Indian cities garbage free under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and one of the major objectives under the Mission is ‘Lakshya Zero’ Dumpsite to remediate 16 crore tons of legacy waste dumpsites occupying nearly 15,000 acres of city land parcels. Keeping in line with the Mission goal, Government of India has allocated ₹ 3400 cr. for Maharashtra for Swachh Bharat implementation in the state.

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RKJ/M