Mumbai Court: Clean City Goal 'Never Too Late'

The Bombay High Court has declared that transforming Mumbai into a clean and hygienic city is an achievable goal, stating "it is never too late" to accomplish this vision. A division bench stressed that efforts must be undertaken "on war footing" by all, including citizens, to make this aspiration a reality.

Hearing petitions concerning the Kanjurmarg landfill, the court expanded its focus to the broader issue of solid waste management across Mumbai. Justices G S Kulkarni and Dr Neela Gokhale underscored that public hygiene is a shared responsibility, requiring active participation from residents alongside municipal efforts.

The court acknowledged the BMC commissioner's "path-breaking" measures, which include anti-littering drives and strengthened cleanliness protocols, as detailed in a recent affidavit. However, the bench also called out citizens' "reckless and negligent habits" of littering, contrasting their behavior in Mumbai with that abroad.

The judges emphasized the paramount public importance of keeping large cities like Mumbai free from filth and trash. They highlighted that accumulated waste breeds disease vectors and that accountability at all community levels is crucial for safeguarding public health and property.