Bombay HC Issues Notices to Maharashtra Govt, BMC, MPCB and CPCB on Carrying Capacity
Moneylife Digital Team 11 April 2025
Responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed to call for sustainable or carrying-capacity-based development in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court (HC) issued notices to the Maharashtra government, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The PIL filed by Conservation Action Trust (CAT) seeks a 'carrying capacity survey' for the city to address the address conflict between urban development and environmental sustainability.
 
The 'Carrying Capacity' of an area is the population carrying capacity of the area. 
 
According to the petition, development can be sustainable only if it is based on the assimilative capacity of the natural and built environment. A carrying-capacity-based model assesses the existing environment and infrastructure to determine if it can withstand more stress and, if so, to what extent, it added. 
 
CAT says BMC’s Development Plan 2034 has liberalised the permissible floor space index (FSI) to be used for construction in Mumbai without testing its sustainability through carrying capacity studies. "Apart from the health-related risks in living in an area developed beyond its carrying capacity, there are also risks posed to communities in ecologically vulnerable areas arising from climate change.”
 
After hearing the counsel of CAT, the division bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice MS Karnik noted that it is important to conduct a survey to analyse the comprehensive carrying capacity and consider the same while preparing and sanctioning Mumbai’s next development plan. 
Comments
parimalshah1
7 months ago
Need to check water supply, roads, sewage and drainage systems and many other factors.
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