The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that modernisation of Sassoon docks would be essential to remove pollution created by solid waste accumulating at the spot in South Mumbai’s Colaba area due to fishing activities. It has directed the central government to file an affidavit, stating steps taken by it to modernise the Sassoon docks; after it was told that the same had come to a standstill due to different reasons, including shortage of funds required to be released by the Centre.
After the report submitted by the court-appointed committee stated that the area was “clean”, the HC remarked that it was “clean” as the spot survey was conducted during monsoon when fishing activities were halted at the docks. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif S Doctor was hearing a PIL filed by Colaba residents, who claimed that roads from Sassoon Docks to Mumbai Port Trust Garden are used for fish cleaning and chopping exercises, including prawn peeling, which causes a filthy and unhygienic environment.
On March 4, the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) chairman wrote to the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, requesting it to “sort out issues related to the sanction of revised cost estimate for the modernisation of the port, which is at the heart of Colaba”. The Maharashtra Fisheries Development Corporation (MFDC) stated in its reply to the plea that the modernisation work had come to a standstill. It filed an affidavit, stating that the modernisation work has come to a standstill due to different issues.
The HC noted that a meeting was held between Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) officials and other authorities in July this year, however, “no visible solution” was suggested for the grievances raised. After perusing a report of MPCB officials — who carried out a spot visit, stating that the area was “clean” — CJ Upadhyaya said that the reason being no fishing activities there during monsoon.