Mumbai: BMC says YOU are responsible for choked nullahs

The civic body made a presentation that shows how citizens dump garbage into the drains even after they are cleaned by the BMC; says can’t man nullahs 24x7

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) alleged that citizens are dumping garbage in the drains, which is why the freshly-cleaned nullahs get choked often. In a media briefing, the BMC showed pictures to prove the claim, adding that it cannot man the drains all the time.

"These pictures make it clear that nullahs cleaned recently also see a large amount of garbage being dumped into them. We can’t man the nullahs 24x7. We are not shirking our responsibility. All we can do is keep cleaning those as often as possible," said Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh, in-charge of the Storm Water Drains department. The presentation also claimed the extent to which desilting of the nullahs has been achieved.

There are three places in the city identified as severely chronic flooding spots - Hindmata, road no. 24-Sion and the spot outside Nair hospital. While for Hindmata, the civic body has laid a drain of 1200 mm diameter to contain more water; the drain outside Nair hospital has been widened from 600 mm to 1400 mm in diameter. For road no 24-Sion West, there are some long-term measures, as planned by BMC.

Monsoon creates havoc in Mumbai, and so to prevent flooding, the civic body claimed to have called for bids for cleaning of major nullahs as early as October last year, but the ongoing enquiry in the desilting scam prevented major players from entering the fray. In some locations, work started as late as May.

Desilting of nullahs
Total figure: 76.02%
Mithi river: 66.23%
Minor nullahs: 35%
(This is the first time the BMC has employed local labourers and drought-hit farmers to carry out the desilting of minor nullahs.)

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