A two-year scientific study will examine methane emissions, odour and air pollution around Mumbai’s Kanjurmarg dumping ground after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation decided to appoint the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) for the work. The proposed study is expected to cost about ₹3.01 crore and follows directions from the Bombay High Court.
The BMC proposal has been placed before the Standing Committee for approval. NEERI, which operates under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, will prepare a detailed report containing measurements, data and analysis at the end of the 24-month study. Progress reports are scheduled for the sixth, 12th and 18th months.
The study follows a public interest litigation filed by the NGO Vanshakti and a residents’ association over odour and pollution affecting people living near the Kanjurmarg waste facility. During the proceedings, the High Court directed the civic body to closely examine methane emissions and other issues at the site and submit a detailed report, according to the report submitted by Loksatta.
The proposed work has been divided into two components. The first, estimated at ₹2.11 crore, will measure methane emissions from the landfill through ground-based sensors, drone surveys and satellite observations. It will also identify potential methane hotspots and assess the risks of heat and fire in those areas.
The second component, estimated at ₹90 lakh, will examine air pollution, odorous gases and volatile organic compounds in residential areas surrounding 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.
NEERI will specify the technical standards for the equipment required for the study, while the BMC will purchase the equipment separately. The monitoring devices will remain the civic body’s property and may be used for future observations after the study is completed.
The reported project cost could be reduced substantially if NEERI conducts the work as a subsidised research project. According to the proposal, the actual expenditure could be limited to about 15% of the estimated project cost under that arrangement.
The Kanjurmarg facility occupies 118.14 hectares, or approximately 292 acres. The report states that around 90% of Mumbai’s municipal solid waste is transported there—about 6,300 metric tonnes of the approximately 7,000 metric tonnes generated across the city each day. The next formal step is consideration of the NEERI study proposal by the BMC Standing Committee.
