Parents write to BMC over garbage dumped on land next to Bandra-Kurla Complex school

MUMBAI: The parent body of BKC's Ascend International School has been making rounds of the BMC over the issue of a four acre land located besides the school premises which they have noticed is being used for dumping of debris and garbage.

Pictures of the site show that the mound of garbage is three storeys high which is also at the height of the school library. In a letter sent to the civic body's solid waste department on April 28, they sought to find out how the BMC issued permissions for dumping of debris in a parcel of land besides the school premises. Parents smell connivance of civic officers and local politicians without which they said such a large dump would not be able to come up.


"We are a group of concerned parents of children who study in the Ascend International School, writing to bring to your urgent and immediate attention that a large part of government land in BKC (20,045 sq mt or 4.953 acres) which is designated by the MMRDA to be used as 'Municipal Stadium and Open Space' is being used as an illegal debris and garbage dumping ground. We are therefore requesting your urgent assistance to help address this serious issue at the earliest," states the letter.

The parents in the letter have said that not only is this completely contrary to the use it has been designated for, but is also a grave health hazard to all the children of the school and the residents in the neighborhood and many children have been falling ill over the past many months because of the toxic gases that are typical to land and dump sites. "Whoever is now claiming to be the caretaker of the land apparently is further exploiting the land by illegally letting out part of the land to buses and trucks for parking. The dumping has become so rampant that the mound of garbage has reached the height of 3 storeys and is at the height of the school library - on the second floor," states the letter further. The parents through their letter have also demanded an immediate inquiry into the matter. Deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management-- Chanda Jadhav said that she was yet to receive an official complaint in the matter however added that the land for which the complaint was received was under the MMRDA.

MMRDA has stated that the plot of land belongs to the government.