27 August,2014 09:44 AM IST | | Chetna Sadadekar
Malad residents and mandals claim that Shantaram talao, which was reopened recently after Rs 4-crore revamp, is contaminated with filthy water from nearby drainage system
More than 25 years after the artificial pond was closed down, Shantaram talao in Malad was inaugurated earlier this month and has been earmarked as an immersion site for Ganpati idols. Residents and mandals, however say that they will not immerse their idols there as the area around the pond is still filthy and sewage water from the drainage system near the lake enters the pond as well.
Mandals in Malad say they will not be immersing their idols in the Shantaram talao. Pic/Kaushik Thanekar
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had inaugurated the pond and surrounding garden on August 9 after a revamp, for which local MLA Rajhans Singh had spent approximately R4 crore from his local area development fund. The residents, however, claim that the inauguration was conducted in a hurry just to woo voters for the upcoming assembly elections as the revamp work was not expected to be completed before 2015.
After the pond's inauguration, residents have complained of a stench emanating from the area, and claim that the dirty water from the drain next to it enters the pond. They also alleged that during the digging work for the pond's revamp, which took close to two years, the area had turned into a breeding place for mosquitoes.
Official speak
"The MLA has taken all precautions here and revamped the old drainage lines so there is no chance of any leakage whatsoever during immersion. We are confident that mandals will come with their idols to immerse it in the pond. We have also ensured that the filth is removed from the pond," informed Hemant D, the official-in charge of maintaining the garden and pond.
