High Court decision reinstating protected status for the Kanjurmarg landfill upheld by the Supreme Court
In a recent turn of events, the Kanjurmarg dumping ground in Mumbai continues to function as a landfill following the Supreme Court’s stay on the Bombay High Court verdict which had restored the site’s protected forest status.
The Bombay High Court’s decision, made on May 2nd, 2025, mandated the restoration of approximately 119-142 hectares of the landfill back to mangrove forest, citing violations of the Forest Conservation Act. However, the state government filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, arguing that part of the landfill had been mistakenly notified as protected forest land and emphasizing a lack of alternative dumping grounds.
The Supreme Court stayed the High Court order swiftly during the hearing, without allowing environmental parties to fully present their case, leading to controversy.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is currently continuing bio-mining and composting efforts at Kanjurmarg and other sites to manage the city’s solid waste. Plans to process about 5,000 tonnes per day of mixed wet and dry waste at Kanjurmarg are underway, but were temporarily on hold due to the legal challenge.
It is important to note that the original PIL challenging the environmental clearances for the setting up of the landfill on protected forest land was filed by the non-profit organization, Vanashakti, back in 2013.
The state government contends that the plot's original notification as a protected forest was erroneous. They argue that only 20.76 hectares of the de-notified land had a mangrove forest, and they were not impacted by or included in the waste-processing site.
Vanashakti's director, Stalin D, expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court's decision, stating that they fought for 15 years against all odds, got a good judgement, only to have it overturned in a few minutes, where they weren't given a fair chance.
The hearing in the Supreme Court took place on an unspecified date, and the stay order allows the BMC to continue dumping solid waste at Mumbai's only active dump yard temporarily. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, took note of the submissions by the solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state.
As the legal battle over the Kanjurmarg landfill's forest status continues, it is crucial to consider the significant amount of waste that is being dumped daily at the site. Around 6,000 to 10,000 tonnes of garbage is dumped every day at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, highlighting the city's urgent need for a viable alternative waste disposal site.
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- The government's Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court has halted the restoration of the Kanjurmarg landfill back to a mangrove forest, as per the Bombay High Court's May 2nd, 2025 decision, due to alleged errors in the land's original protected forest land notification.
- The environmental policy-and-legislation is under scrutiny, following the Supreme Court's swift stay order on the High Court verdict, which prevented environmental parties from fully presenting their case regarding the Kanjurmarg dumping ground's environmental impact.
- In light of the controversial tribunal rulings, the general news is filled with debates about the preservation of mangrove forests, the health implications of waste dumping, and the urgency for policy changes to manage India's growing solid waste issues.
- As the Kanjurmarg landfill's legal battle lingers, it is critical for the government to address the significant daily waste dumping of approximately 6,000 to 10,000 tonnes at the site, highlighting the essential need for a viable alternative waste disposal policy.
