MUMBAI, March 4 -- In a significant development in the long-running litigation over pollution and public health risks linked to the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, the Bombay High Court has accepted a report submitted by a court-appointed monitoring committee, which has called for a time-bound technological overhaul of the facility based on globally proven scientific methods. A division bench of justices GS Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe was hearing a batch of petitions filed by residents, NGO Vanashakti and others, challenging the continued dumping of municipal solid waste at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, which is located in the heart of a densely populated area. During the hearing on February 24, senior advocate Anil Sakhare, appearing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), submitted the monitoring committee's report. The committee suggested both long-term and short-term measures, including trips abroad to understand how major global cities manage their solid waste. The report noted that Mumbai generates approximately 7,200 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste, of which nearly 6,000 TPD is processed at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground. While the site currently has composting sheds, deodorant spraying systems, bio-enzyme applications, and leachate treatment and management infrastructure, persistent foul odour remains the primary grievance of nearby residents, the report observed. As the site operates in an urban environment with high population density, the committee emphasised the need for more stringent controls and advanced technologies to reduce foul odours. To address these concerns, the committee proposed a structured three-phase strategy to be implemented under court supervision This includes reducing landfill dependency by up to 80% by transitioning from bioreactor landfill-heavy operations to an integrated model incorporating waste-to-energy, compressed biogas, composting and sanitary landfills; shifting certain processing units to more suitable zones within the project site; and undertaking international exposure visits to large-scale waste-to-energy facilities in cities such as Dubai, Shenzhen and Tokyo before finalising long-term technological upgrades. Accepting the proposal, the court directed the BMC to chalk out a plan for the exposure visits and create a permanent, robust technical cell that would be proactively functional throughout the year. The contractor managing the Kanjurmarg landfill informed the court that a "Tarpomatic Cover" system is being imported to enhance the operational efficiency, reduce odour emissions, and prevent the release of gases and odours. The contractor also raised concerns about repeated calls received on the grievance helpline numbers installed at the site. While a complaint mechanism has been put in place to address citizens' concerns, the contractor submitted that the helplines were receiving repetitive, bogus and non-genuine calls, with some callers allegedly using abusive and filthy language under the guise of lodging complaints. The court described this as a "serious concern" and directed the contractor to lodge criminal complaints against the callers. The matter has been posted for further hearing on March 17....