The authorities made the submission before a bench ofChief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Amjad Sayed via videoconferencing.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigationfiled by Sharda Tevar, the mother of an undertrial at ArthurRoad prison, and by NGO Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan.
The petitioners, through advocate Ronita Bector,submitted that as per news reports, state authorities werecontemplating using two buildings in Mahul as quarantinefacilities.
However, all buildings in the said area, built forrehabilitating those whose homes were affected by various BMCdevelopment projects, have been considered uninhabitable byBombay HC and NGT previously.
"We told HC that these buildings were consideredunsafe by the Supreme Court too due to the toxic pollution inthe area because of refineries and industries. Now if suchpeople who are suspected to or are suffering from COVID-19 arebrought to such an area that is heavily polluted and posesfurther health risks, then the very purpose of quarantine getsdefeated," Bector said.
"Also, as COVID-19 patients have severe respiratorydiseases it would be improper to quarantine them in Mahul,"she said.
As per the petition, Mahul is a heavily industrializedbelt and home to refineries of Hindustan Petroleum CorporationLimited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, RashtriyaChemicals and Fertilisers, and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
The HC, on September 23 last year, stopped projectaffected persons from being rehabilitated in these buildings.
Bector also told the court that some news reports haveclaimed that the state government had temporarily rescindedits decision and, hence, it must issue a clarification on thesame.
Government pleader Poornima Kantharia and senioradvocate Anil Sakhare, for BMC, sought time to takeinstructions and inform the court at the next hearing on May15. AYABNM BNM