The Bombay High Court has directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to strictly enforce anti-littering regulations, granting the civic body a one-week deadline to rectify garbage mishandling near prominent city landmarks before formal judicial orders are issued.
A division bench comprising Justice G. S. Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe issued the directions on Friday while hearing a cluster of petitions regarding health hazards, toxic gas emissions, and persistent foul odors surrounding the Kanjurmarg landfill in eastern Mumbai.
During the proceedings, the court expressed strong dissatisfaction with widespread public littering, contrasting the behavior of residents in India with their strict compliance with sanitation rules when traveling overseas. Observing that individuals routinely discard waste on domestic streets while utilizing bins abroad for even minor items like food wrappers, the bench questioned whether such civic indifference was an acceptable fallout of democratic freedom.
Citizen Accountability And Civic Duty
Addressing the balance between rights and responsibilities, the bench emphasized that residents claiming a constitutional right to a clean environment bear an equal fundamental obligation to maintain civic hygiene. The judges instructed municipal authorities to display no leniency toward individuals who pollute public spaces, urging officials to adopt an uncompromising approach against violators.
The court further noted that indiscriminate dumping on primary roadways, narrow alleys, and coastal beaches has created severe daily health risks for metropolitan residents, raising broader questions about public standards of civil conduct.
Failure To Meet Cleanliness Goals
Examining municipal operations, the bench highlighted that civic apathy and public non-compliance have jointly undermined the objectives of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s official cleanliness campaign logo, ‘Swachch Mumbai, Sundar Mumbai, Aapli Mumbai, Sundar Mumbai’.
The court stated that ward-level sanitation administrative units must take active measures to prevent public thoroughfares from being converted into informal waste dumps, warning that continued operational inaction would negate the city administration’s stated cleanliness goals.
One Week Deadline For Heritage Area Mismanagement
The judges specifically cited concerns regarding municipal waste collection vehicles dropping garbage along routes adjacent to major historic sites, including the Rajabai Tower and the High Court complex.
Pointing out that such mismanagement leaves accumulated waste exposed to both domestic visitors and foreign tourists, the court instructed civic authorities to resolve waste handling deficiencies around heritage corridors within seven days, cautioning that failure to comply would result in binding judicial directives.
