The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to commission a 24-month scientific study of methane emissions, odour and air pollution around Mumbai’s Kanjurmarg dumping ground after the Bombay High Court directed it to examine the site’s environmental impact in detail.
The proposed study will be conducted by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, or NEERI, a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research institution. The estimated project cost is ₹3.01 crore, although NEERI has suggested undertaking the work as a subsidised research project, which could reduce the corporation’s actual expenditure to about 15% of that estimate. The proposal has been placed before the civic standing committee for approval, according to a report by Loksatta.
The study follows a public interest litigation filed by the Vanashakti environmental organisation and a residents’ association representing people living around the Kanjurmarg facility. Residents have raised concerns about persistent odour and pollution from the dumping ground. During the proceedings, the High Court directed the civic body to closely examine methane emissions and related issues and submit a detailed report.
The work has been divided into two components. The first, estimated at ₹2.11 crore, will measure methane released from the landfill through ground-based sensors, drone surveys and satellite observation. NEERI will also identify possible methane hotspots and assess the associated risks of heat generation and fires.
The second component, estimated at ₹90 lakh, will examine air pollution, odorous gases and volatile organic compounds in residential areas around the Kanjurmarg centre. Air quality will be monitored continuously for 24 hours at 10 locations over a six-month period. The pollutants to be measured include hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
The corporation will separately purchase the equipment required for the investigation according to technical specifications determined by NEERI. The equipment will remain the property of the BMC and may be used for monitoring at the site after the study is completed.
NEERI is expected to submit progress reports in the sixth, 12th and 18th months of the project, followed by a final report after 24 months. The final submission will include the study’s findings, supporting data and analysis.
The Kanjurmarg facility occupies 118.14 hectares, or roughly 292 acres. The report states that around 7,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated in Mumbai each day, of which approximately 90%, or 6,300 metric tonnes, is transported to the Kanjurmarg centre. The standing committee’s decision on the proposal will determine the next formal step in commissioning the study.
