The debris debacle: Who is to take responsibility?

Photo for representational purpose

The site where a building in South Mumbai collapsed after a fire in 2015 has become a dumping ground for waste. Debris from the construction works, like repairs and renovations of buildings near this one, has found a convenient parking spot at this very spot.

Harrowed residents are watching this turn into a definite health hazard. A mix of debris and garbage piling on to that means that fears about this being the source of illness do have merit. Mumbai has also seen considerable rain right till September-end. The BMC was warning people about dengue and malaria and beating the drums quite rightly about clean surroundings. It is also hugely complicated to contract an illness as the pandemic sweeps across the city and nation. Doctors' visits, hospitalisation do certainly get more difficult during outbreak times. These are not impossible but certainly more challenging.

The report in this paper highlighting this site states that a wrangle between the BMC and the fact that this is private land has resulted in status quo, and no movement on a solution.

Meanwhile, we need to see local corporators getting involved rather than casual shrugging of shoulders and the blame game going on. Even locals can do their bit and not add to problems; this means not throwing any kind of rubbish at this site. If you do know of a building in the locality indulging in this, take up the matter through talks and try to put a stop to this.

There are a number of disputed plots, broken structures and such sites that do become dumping grounds and breeding grounds for all kinds of problems. We need intervention and action from authorities and residents to play a proactive role, as they have a huge stake in the cleaning up.