18 January,2017 06:37 PM IST | | Shailesh Bhatia
It took a flop monsoon, which almost led the city to the brink of a drought-like situation, and a mid-day report (published in July 2014), to wake up civic authorities to start restoration work on a 200-year-old well in Dahisar that had turned into a giant garbage bin
It took a flop monsoon, which almost led the city to the brink of a drought-like situation, and a mid-day report (published in July 2014), to wake up civic authorities to start restoration work on a 200-year-old well in Dahisar that had turned into a giant garbage bin.
Although the well had, until recent times, quenched the thirst of the locals, it was filled to the brim with filthy garbage.
Taking cognisance of the mid-day story, almost a year-and-a-half later, civic authorities and a local MLA have restored the well, which has a majestic, diameter of over 80 feet.
"The filth in the well was causing major health hazards. Locals now have an alternate source of water. Water from the well will also be used in nearby gardens maintained by the BMC," said local MLA Manisha Chaudhari, who claims to have spent R15 lakh for the restoration and beatification of the project.
Local activist Kishore Mahatre, who supervised the restoration, said seeking clearance for the project from MHADA was one of the biggest hurdles they faced. "Tonnes of garbage were removed manually for using high-tech machinery would have elevated the cost of the project. At around forty feet, we hit a natural underground spring that is breathing life into the well. This structure has been around since before the British era and it was once the only source of water for three nearby villages," said Manoj Paralkar, a local resident, who has been actively involved in the project.
