Mumbai | September 11, 2026
The Bombay High Court has warned that it could take strict action against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials if the city’s persistent garbage and odour problems are not brought under control, according to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai.
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale criticised municipal authorities on Thursday, saying repeated directions had not led ward officers to address waste and cleanliness problems across the city. The court said assistant commissioners of the respective ward offices and officials responsible for solid waste management could be held accountable if conditions failed to improve.
The court’s observations came amid complaints about garbage accumulation and foul odours in several parts of Mumbai. The report identified Fort, Dadar, Jogeshwari, Andheri, Oshiwara and Lokhandwala among areas where garbage heaps are regularly seen, while stating that similar conditions exist elsewhere in the city.
The bench described Mumbai’s waste problem as serious and distressing and questioned how the city could describe itself as international while such conditions persist. It also criticised the lack of action by the relevant departmental officials despite the repeated presence of waste in public areas.
The court further observed that residents often dump waste wherever open space is available, pointing to public littering as another factor contributing to the problem. However, its remarks focused on the responsibility of the municipal administration and ward-level officers to enforce cleanliness and control solid waste.
The report did not specify the amount of any proposed penalty, the date of a next hearing or whether a separate written order had been issued. The court indicated that further action against the concerned officials would depend on whether the city’s sanitation conditions improve.
