The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of a news report published in a daily newspaper regarding garbage littered on railway tracks near Mahim Station in Mumbai. The tribunal has upheld the punitive action taken by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) against Western Railway, which imposed a fine of over Rs 1.59 crore for environmental damage.
The railway administration challenged the penalty in the tribunal, arguing that the garbage found on the tracks was not generated by the railway but dumped by nearby slum dwellers. However, the NGT refused to grant immediate relief and directed the railway authorities to pay 25% of the fine amount within six weeks. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 28, 2025.
Garbage from Nearby Slums
During the hearing, the Mumbai Division Railway Manager (DRM) informed the tribunal that the garbage on the tracks was primarily dumped by residents of adjacent slum settlements. The DRM argued that penalizing the railway under Environmental Damage Compensation (EDC) regulations was unjustified. However, MPCB’s inspection report found large quantities of waste dumped along the tracks, which led to the case being transferred to the Western Bench of the NGT in Pune.
MPCB informed the tribunal that while station platforms and junctions were cleaned regularly, the tracks remained littered with garbage from nearby slums, causing significant environmental pollution. Based on its findings, MPCB calculated the environmental damage compensation at Rs 1.59 crore to be levied on Western Railway’s Mumbai Division.
In response to the issue, the Inspector Railway Protection Force (RPF), Dadar, has registered cases under the Railway Act and initiated awareness programmes in Mahim East slum areas to prevent further littering.
The bench, comprising Judicial Member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Vijay Kulkarni, upheld MPCB’s action and directed Western Railway to deposit 25% of the fine as an interim measure. The tribunal also issued a notice to MPCB, seeking its response before the next hearing.
