Palghar | September 8, 2026
Residents of Morekuran and parts of central and northern Palghar are facing persistent foul odour and sanitation problems because municipal waste is being stored at the Morekuran dumping ground without processing, according to a report by Loksatta. Local representatives have raised concerns about sewage discharge, fly infestation and possible contamination of a drinking-water source.
Morekuran sarpanch Dhiraj Sankhe and gram panchayat members met Palghar Municipal Council president Uttam Gharat to protest the conditions at the waste site. They told the municipal council that sewage containing human waste had allegedly been discharged directly into a drain at the dumping ground for about four months.
The local representatives also raised concerns that the odour and flies associated with the waste site were contributing to health problems in the surrounding area. They said the discharge had affected a source of drinking water, although the report did not provide independent testing results or details of the alleged contamination.
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 officials, however, said residents’ lack of cooperation and the absence of adequate space for composting had contributed to the accumulation of mixed waste at the dumping ground.
The council had begun biomining work at the end of April to process and remove accumulated waste. The work was subsequently delayed after the onset of rain. Although some internal roads at the dumping ground have been constructed, waste-carrying vehicles have reportedly been unable to reach the designated area and have been unloading waste beside the internal road.
Municipal officials told the Morekuran representatives that the movement of machinery to shift the wet waste was also contributing to the foul smell. The council is seeking expert advice on reducing the odour and plans to use spraying and other measures to control the problem until the end of the rainy season.
Gharat told the delegation that the municipal council would carry out spraying at least once a week in Morekuran, particularly in houses in Kharalpada. He also directed municipal officials to take action against the contractor and the concerned staff if sewage tankers were found discharging toilet waste in the open without permission or advance notice.
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. After the monsoon, the council has said it will resume biomining, segregate the accumulated waste and arrange for its disposal.
