03 February,2018 03:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav and Laxman Singh
Lawyer Afroz Shah and volunteers have been cleaning Versova beach for a long time. File pic
Inspired by beach clean-ups, the BMC has decided to use mechanised beach cleaning to clear garbage in large quantities from the sandy waterfronts. Beach clean-ups at Versova and Juhu will continue in the monsoon with the use of these machines. Lights will also be installed at beaches where there are none. While there have been various beach clean-ups organised by citizens, and more significantly at Versova with BMC's participation, authorities want to continue this even during the rainy season.
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Informing this in his budget speech, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, "Comprehensive beach cleaning of total 33.5 km is being carried out. To maintain cleanliness at Juhu and Versova beaches, fresh contracts with provision to deploy additional manpower and machinery during the monsoon are being awarded as per inputs of citizens' groups. The emphasis will now move to machine-based beach cleaning."
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Compactors with separate storage for dry and e-waste, and some with side-loading facility are being proposed for the first time in the new contracts of Municipal Solid Waste collection and transportation. Around 12 lakh 10-litre capacity bins are being prepared for the next three years for waste segregation at household level. Floating trash booms will also be put up in Dahisar, Oshiwara and Mithi rivers to save the beaches and seashore from garbage.
Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and zoo
A CCTV network with a public address system will be developed at a cost of Rs 5.20 crore to enhance security and vigilance inside the zoo premises. In the second phase of the revamp project, various proposed development works will include 17 animal enclosures at an estimated cost of Rs 120 crore. It includes construction of 10 animal enclosures for wolves, sloth bear, jackals, otters, Madras pond turtle, hyenas, a cat complex, aviary and reptile house.
Waterbodies
The BMC will undertake the beautification of lakes and rivers, including the Kandarpada lake in Dahisar, Bandar Pakhadi lake in Kandivli, and Dahisar river, for which a provision of Rs 5 crore has been proposed.
Crematoria for pets
A provision of Rs 1 crore has been made for these, considering the growing pet population in Mumbai. These will be made available at Malad in western suburbs, Mahalaxmi in the city and Deonar in eastern suburbs.
Green wheels
A provision of Rs 100 crore has been made for construction of a walking/cycling track along the Tansa mains. This should be Mumbai's first dedicated cycle track and the shortest route connecting Mumbai in the north-south and east-west directions. It is also proposed to use the pipes as a canvas for artists.
Night shelter support scheme
A night shelter will be constructed in Chandivli, Magathane and Dahisar with a provision of R5 crore for the project. Twenty-five night shelters have been planned for the urban homeless, eleven of these will open by March 2018.
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