A municipal waste dump in Morekuran has become the source of persistent foul odours, wastewater concerns and fly infestation affecting residents of Morekuran and parts of central and northern Palghar, according to a report by Loksatta – Palghar published on September 8, 2026.
The report said Palghar city’s waste is being stored at the Morekuran dumping ground without undergoing processing. Residents have also complained that sewage containing human waste has allegedly been discharged into a drain at the site. Representatives from the Morekuran gram panchayat, including sarpanch Dheeraj Sankhe and gram panchayat members, met Palghar municipal president Uttam Gharat to raise concerns over the situation.
The village representatives told the municipality that foul odours and an increase in flies had created health concerns in the surrounding area. They also said that sewage had allegedly been released directly into the site’s drain for the past four months, raising concerns about the impact on a drinking-water source. The report did not provide independent water-quality test results or details of any confirmed illness linked to the site.
Palghar Municipal Council has outsourced waste collection for several years. The contract requires wet and dry waste to be collected separately and wet waste to be composted. Municipal authorities, however, cited insufficient cooperation from residents and a lack of space for composting as reasons for storing mixed waste at the dumping ground, according to the report.
The council had begun biomining work at the end of April to process and segregate accumulated waste at the site. That work was delayed after the onset of rain. Although some internal roads at the dumping ground have been built, waste-carrying vehicles are reportedly unable to reach the end of the site and are unloading waste along the internal road. Municipal officials told the village representatives that the movement of wet waste from these roadside heaps was contributing to the odour.
Gharat said the council was seeking expert advice to control the smell. Until the monsoon ends, the municipality will use spraying and other measures, he said. He also assured the delegation that spraying would be carried out at least once a week at homes in Morekuran, particularly in Kharalpada.
The municipal president directed officials to take action against the contractor and the concerned employees if tankers were found discharging sewage in the open without permission or advance notice. The report did not specify whether any enforcement action had already been initiated.
The council has started constructing a new shed to process wet waste. It also plans to repair and urgently restart the faecal sludge treatment plant located at the dumping ground. Gharat said biomining would resume after the monsoon, when the accumulated waste would be segregated and disposed of.
