Resettling Dharavi residents on waste: Housing risks at Deonar landfill

This decision to house thousands of residents in such close proximity to a biohazardous site has raised serious questions about the efficacy and intent behind the state’s actions.

The landfill of approximately 136 hectares of land has been a major source of environmental pollution due to the improper disposal of waste and the lack of adequate waste management practices. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

The Dumping Ground

The Deonar dumping ground, which spans 311 acres, has been operational since 1927, serving as Mumbai’s primary landfill. At present, it houses approximately 20 million metric tonnes (MT) of solid waste. Each day, the city generates around 6,500 to 7,000 MT of waste, with roughly 600 to 700 MT—about 10 per cent — directed to Deonar.

On October 14, just a day before the announcement of state assembly election dates and the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Maharashtra government approved a proposal directing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to transfer a 124-acre plot of the dumping ground to the Adani Group. This land is designated for the construction of housing units as part of the proposed Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP).

“The land occupied by the Deonar dumping ground was never owned by the BMC. It was transferred to the civic authorities by the state’s revenue department in the early 20th century, specifically for the purpose of solid waste management. Now, this land has been returned in an “as-is” condition as per the state government’s demands, which means the existing waste remains intact,” Bhushan Gagrani, Mumbai’s municipal commissioner and state-appointed administrator said.

The 124-acre plot earmarked for the DRP is located in the heart of the landfill, where mounds of garbage rise up to nearly 40 metres high, which is as tall as a 12-storey building.

Of the remaining 187 acres still managed by the BMC, 73 acres have been designated for a forthcoming Waste-to-Energy (W2E) plant. Alarmingly, the distance between the proposed W2E facility and the designated plot for DRP housing units is less than 20 metres.

The landfill has been in operation for over 50 years and is responsible for a significant portion of the city’s waste disposal. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Health Hazards

The Deonar dumping ground, located in the densely populated M/East (M/E) ward of Mumbai, is flanked by the neighbourhoods of Govandi, Mankhurd, and Shivaji Nagar, with the Vashi Creek bordering its eastern edge. The stench of decomposing garbage permeates the air from hundreds of metres away, and for years, the landfill has been identified as a primary contributor to the health problems experienced by nearby residents. For many locals, breathing in this polluted air has become an unfortunate norm.

While there are currently no residential units within the landfill perimeter, nearly every second resident in the ward suffers from pulmonary and respiratory disorders. Among the 26 municipal wards in Mumbai, M/E ward has the lowest life expectancy, at less than 40 years—nearly half the national average. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reports that around 12 per cent to 15 per cent of the city’s total tuberculosis (TB) cases originate from this area.

A 2015 report from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) described M/E ward as a case of “environmental injustice”. The report noted that conditions in the ward are significantly worse than city-wide averages. “In fact, the lowest parameters in the ward are comparable to some of the poorest regions in the world and have no place in a modern city, let alone one that aspires to be a global city,” it stated.

Since the early 2000s, informal housing has proliferated along the landfill’s boundary, attracting low-income groups (LIGs) due to lower living costs. These structures, typically made of asbestos roofs and concrete walls, often house six to ten people in cramped quarters, forcing family members to sleep outside with doors left open due to space constraints.

“In every household, respiratory disorders like asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis are common. If someone reaches the age of 50, we consider that a blessing because most people here don’t live beyond 45,” said Shaban Siddique, a 38-year-old resident of Rafiq Nagar, located just metres from the landfill.

At the nearby MHADA colony, situated only 700 metres from the landfill’s edge, 84 residential buildings house 61 flats each. Umar Qureshi (56), a resident for nearly two decades, shared a troubling experience about his 15-year-old daughter, Shafi, who fainted one summer afternoon after developing a persistent cough.

“Our daughter initially had a mild cough and fever that wouldn’t subside for a week, and then she fainted at home. We took her to the hospital, where we learned she had TB. Doctors attributed it to the high pollution levels that had severely affected her lungs,” Qureshi explained.

As the population around the landfill increased, fire incidents became common. A major blaze in 2016 engulfed the landfill, releasing toxic smoke that blanketed central and south Mumbai for nearly a week, with locals describing the smoke plumes as so dense they could not see the sun.

“Even now, the garbage heaps catch fire regularly at night, forcing us to inhale toxic air directly. This has become our way of life,” said Mudassar Siddique, a 25-year-old resident.

The improper disposal of waste has led to issues such as air pollution, water pollution, and soil contamination. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Relocation concerns

The decision to relocate people from Dharavi to the dumping ground has sparked significant concerns. Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, a local activist who has filed multiple Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in the Bombay High Court against civic authorities and the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board, argues it is inhumane to relocate people near the landfill.

“Establishing residential units inside the landfill is akin to sending people to live in gas chambers. Those currently living outside the landfill already face numerous health issues; imagine the impact on those relocated within it,” Shaikh told the Indian Express.

“The government is moving people to an area where a Waste-to-Energy (W2E) plant is being constructed. How is this justifiable? The emissions from the plant will pose hazardous health risks not only to the new residents but also to those living in Govandi,” added Nafees Ansari, a local resident and activist.

Saumya Roy, author and founder of the Vedanta Foundation, a microfinance nonprofit that empowers waste pickers, stated, “Even though the amount of waste being dumped in Deonar has decreased, removing the existing pile of garbage remains a challenge. Even if they manage to clear the land, it will take at least two decades for it to be fit for habitation, given the extensive legacy waste accumulated over nearly a century.”

Rishi Aggarwal, director of the Mumbai Sustainability Center, emphasised that as Mumbai experiences an annual increase in waste generation, and thus, the Deonar landfill should be reserved solely for waste treatment.

“Instead of building housing units inside the landfill, authorities should focus on enhancing the city’s waste management infrastructure by constructing waste treatment plants and composting facilities. Relocating people into the landfill is cruel, and we hope the government reverses this decision,” Aggarwal said.

Last year, the BMC issued a tender to appoint a consultant to carry out a characterisation study of the legacy waste in the Deonar dumping ground, marking the first step toward bio-mining. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Earlier instances

The Mindspace area in Malad, now a bustling business hub in suburban Mumbai, was constructed on a former dumping ground. This commercial zone became operational in 2002, but just a year later, employees began experiencing strange phenomena.

Electronic devices and appliances in the offices malfunctioned frequently, disrupting productivity. Despite in-house technicians being unable to determine the cause, one firm hired the National Solid Waste Association of India (NSWAI) to investigate. It was soon revealed that the remnants of the waste were releasing corrosive gases, damaging the appliances.

“Whenever organic waste decomposes, toxic gases like methane, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide are emitted, mixing with the soil. Therefore, if a wasteland is developed without treating the underlying dump, gases may continue to be emitted even decades after the landfill has been closed,” Aggarwal said.

In 2018, following a Bombay High Court order, the BMC ceased dumping waste at the 24-acre Mulund dumping ground. The BMC then began scientifically treating and removing the accumulated waste through bio-mining to reclaim the land.

To date, the BMC has cleared 37 lakh metric tonnes (MT), or 54% of the total 70 lakh MT of solid waste present in that landfill.
“The waste removal process could only begin a year after dumping ceased because appointing agencies and mobilising manpower took time. However, soon after we started, the pandemic hit, causing further delays,” an official said.

“Bio-mining is a time-consuming process. It involves treating garbage with natural elements like air and sunlight. Over time, the biodegradable components decompose through this natural process, while the remaining non-biodegradable materials are either recycled or treated artificially. During this process, items like rock ores and mine waste are also extracted for use in civil projects,” the official added.

Last year, the BMC issued a tender to appoint a consultant to carry out a characterisation study of the legacy waste in the Deonar dumping ground, marking the first step toward bio-mining.

However, the tender received no responses, and the project has yet to commence.

According to the BMC’s development plan (2034) the Deonar dumping ground is reserved for waste management purposes only. Civic officials maintained that considering there was no reservation made to make it feasible for housing, no study was carried out so far.

“Until the time this landfill was with us (BMC) no such study was carried out, considering it was not reserved for the purpose of human habitation. Now that the landfill is under the government, the onus is on them to change the reservation of this plot,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.