Mumbai: Bio-waste plant is killing us, we have proof, says Govandi residents

Residents of Govandi and Deonar will soon file a PIL in the Bombay High Court and submit the BMC's response to an RTI query on tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths to prove direct correlation between pollution and toxic gases and the adverse impact on their health.

Citing the statistics from 2013 to May 2022, the residents have claimed a rise in TB deaths over the past 3.5 years. They are prepared to take the next step in their fight against pollution and health hazards allegedly caused by the biomedical waste treatment plant run by SMS Envoclean next door. They will file the PIL in the Bombay High Court this week.

The RTI response contains statistics on tuberculosis (TB) from 2013 to May 2022. Around 4,500 to 5,000 people are diagnosed with tuberculosis yearly in M East ward (Govandi and Deonar) alone, it shows. During the same period, 1,877 people died due to TB.

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While 760 deaths occurred in five years from 2013 and 2017, TB killed 1,117 people in the next 3.5 years from 2018 to May 2022, according to the BMC's data. While an average of 152 people died yearly between 2013 and 2017, TB claimed around 250 lives each year from 2018 to May 2022.

M East ward covers nearly 250 slum pockets and is a known TB hotspot. Residents allege the rising pollution in the area has aggravated the disease that affects the lungs.

Children play near the Deonar dumping ground in Govandi. File pic/Sameer Markande

The residents will file the public interest litigation (PIL) against the BMC, the state environment department and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). They had earlier this month filed an intervention application to an existing 2019 case in the Bombay HC, pertaining to SMS Envoclean. The HC had directed them to file an independent PIL.

‘Why not conduct a study?'

"Neither the BMC nor the state government has conducted any kind of study on pollution or health hazards caused by the dumping ground, waste treatment plant, waste-to-energy projects, etc., here. This is despite our repeated complaints. Is the government using us [the residents of Deonar and Govandi] as guinea pigs? If they deny any health hazards, can they explain why the number of TB cases is rising? Why is the BMC or the state government unable to help the residents? And if that is not the case, they should have undertaken a study," said Advocate Saif Alam.

A man segregates garbage at Deonar dumping ground. File pic/Atul Kamble

Fayyaz Shaikh, a resident who is also the president of NGO Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society, said, "MPCB officials found several non-compliances when they visited SMS Envoclean in March, which they even put on record. SMS Envoclean becomes a violation, attracting the ‘Polluter Pays Principle' and other criminal provisions under the Environment Protection Act of 1986. The residents have demanded action."

"As per the BMC's data, there has been no success in bringing down the numbers of TB cases and deaths. All factors only point to one fact: pollution and harmful gases emitted from dumping grounds and biomedical treatment plants are harming residents and pushing many towards death. We invite them to conduct a study on this and help us," Shaikh added.

SMS Envoclean in Govandi East is the only biomedical waste treatment facility in Mumbai. In 2009, the BMC and the MPCB gave SMS Envoclean the contract to treat the city's biomedical waste. Although, the contract was to build three plants, only one was built at Govandi. The BMC and the MPCB were unable to find places for the other two plants. This meant, the entire city's biomedical waste getting dumped at the Govandi plant. Over the years, the thick toxic smoke emitted from the plant became a health hazard for the residents.