‘Clean Worli, South Mumbai Doesn’t Mean Entire Mumbai Is Clean’: Bombay HC Pulls Up BMC

The Bombay High Court recently reprimanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for focusing its efforts on cleaning only select areas of Mumbai, such as Worli, Nariman Point, and South Mumbai, without ensuring the rest of the city maintains proper hygiene. A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale emphasized that the cleanliness of these areas does not reflect the overall cleanliness of the city.

Concerned over the BMC's failure to uphold hygiene standards in all 24 wards, the judges witnessed garbage being dumped on roads, footpaths, open spaces, and hill slopes during a recent trip through the western suburbs of Mumbai towards Uttan. They were particularly troubled by the conditions in Jogeshwari and Malad. Justice Kulkarni elaborated, stating that the dumping of garbage on streets is a local issue and that the corporation must ensure all wards are kept clean.

The court then directed the BMC to file an affidavit outlining the measures taken in every ward to prevent garbage dumping. Additionally, it requested data from KEM Hospital and other civic and state-run hospitals regarding patients admitted with contagious diseases, including dengue, malaria, and H1N1. The bench also questioned the steps taken by the BMC on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, which also marks the observance of the Centre’s Swachhata Abhiyan.

The scope of the petition, initially centered on the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, has now been expanded to monitor health and hygiene across all Mumbai's wards. The matter will be heard again on October 22.