A Rs 1.5-CRORE worth processing plant, set up to prevent around 200 metric tonnes of tender coconut shells — generated daily — from just being dumped in landfills, has not been operational for over six months. It is on hold for want of an access road to it. Though the agreement for the public partnership project was signed in March this year, the BMC is awaiting permission from the Mumbai Port Trust, which owns the land where the plant stands, to construct the road to carry the waste to it. But, while BMC officials claim to have written to MbPT for permission, the official concerned seems unaware of this.

'We wrote to MbPT'
Last year, the initiative to set up the processing plant was presented by Chanakya Institute of Public Leadership (CIPL) to Kishore Desai, then assistant municipal commissioner of E ward. After acquiring all the required permissions, a space at the Reay Road cemetery was allotted for the plant. However, officials from the health department raised certain objections. "The health department had granted permission on the condition that a separate access road would be constructed, as it would be disrespectful to bring the waste in from the same gate that people bring in their deceased loved ones. The access road will be built on MbPT land. We had written to them and had sent several reminders as well. However, we are yet to get the permission," said an official from E ward's Solid Waste Management department.