The Vigilance Department of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has taken action against illegal debris dumping, apprehending five dumpers for unlawfully discarding debris on open plots near MTHL Labour Camp on Gavan-Jasai Road near Ulwe node. These plots are either owned by CIDCO or designated for acquisition.
The city's already poor air quality index, worsened by extensive construction and infrastructure projects, has been further degraded by the unauthorized dumping of debris from Mumbai and Thane.
“It has come to CIDCO’s attention that dumpers are illegally discarding debris on large tracts of land, either acquired or set to be acquired by CIDCO. This debris poses a threat to human health and the environment,” said a senior official from CIDCO’s Vigilance Department.
To tackle this issue, a coordinated operation was conducted on September 23, 2024. Around 2:00 PM, at Gavan-Jasai Road near the MTHL Labour Camp and Star Container Yard in Navi Mumbai, five dumpers filled with hazardous debris were caught in the act. The drivers were identified as Imran Nazir Mohammed Siddiq Sayyed, 23, and Mukesh Uddhav Sulkekar, 30, both residents of Shivdi; Mahmad Alim Sheikh, 41, from Antop Hill, Mumbai; Saddab Khan Abdul Wahid Khan, 38, from Wadala; and Mohmad Sharif Sheikh, 39, from Govandi.
All five dumpers were seized, and a case was registered against the drivers at Nhava Sheva Police Station under Sections 271 and 3(5), 62 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023.
CIDCO has urged citizens to report any instances of illegal debris dumping in areas under its jurisdiction. “Illegal dumping is a significant contributor to air pollution, and CIDCO's efforts are focused on addressing this environmental concern, which has adversely impacted the city's air quality in recent months,” added the official.