For the study, the MMRDA has identified six sites— Taloja, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Airoli and off the Mumbai-Panvel highway near Panvel. These dumping grounds have to be developed in a phased manner. The process of acquiring land for dumping ground is in progress, said sources in the MMRDA. Of these, the Ulhasnagar site which is between the Ambernath and Ulhasnagar is 1225 hectares, 10 times bigger than the Deonar and Kanjur land fill sites managed by the BMC.

“We would also be asking the agency to suggest ways on how to dispose the garbage. More importantly, there are various methods that are currently used and every method has its own pros and cons. A study to understand these methods better is required,” said S M Shah, principal advisor, solid waste management project cell.

The MMR has seven municipal corporations and 13 municipal councils under it. Except the BMC, no other corporation has a proper disposal system. Some of these councils and corporations are reportedly dumping the garbage at isolated places creating problems for locals.

Since these dumping grounds would be used by all the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), a study on various aspects like setting up limits on how much garbage can an ULB dispose at these dumping grounds each day, needs to be conducted.