'We are the eyes and ears of our neighbourhoods'

Lokhandwala-Oshiwara Citizens Association members have been on their toes in ensuring that the neighbourhood remains clean and safe

For the past seven days, the members of the Lokhandwala-Oshiwara residents' association have been on their toes, ensuring that everyone in the neighbourhood stays safe and sound.

The Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) have been alerting the BMC and other concerned departments about the emerging problems in Andheri, Versova and the adjoining areas.

On July 15, LOCA members alerted the civic body about a swimming pool in a vacant beach house in Versova. The pool had accumulated dirty water as the filtration system was not active, and was slowly turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Fearing risk of dengue and malaria, the LOCA informed the BMC, which immediately sent its officials and workers. The pool was disinfected within the next 48 hours.

Street lights in the area were fixed after a complaint from the residents

"Musician and composer Shantanu Moitra, who lives in Versova, informed us about the swimming pool," said Ganesh Rao, one of the founding members of LOCA. "The pool had accumulated a lot of rainwater, and with the inactive filtration system, the standing water would have become a breeding ground for dengue and malaria mosquitoes."

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While the BMC officials were disinfecting the pool, the residents who live near Bhaktivedanta School, tweeted to LOCA on July 16 about non-functional street lights outside the school. We swung into action and took up the matter with Adani Electricity, which fixed the lights the very next day, said Amarjeet Gumbar, another founding member of LOCA.

Rao and Gumbar said they have spent much of the past week asking residents to contact LOCA if they notice any civic issue of a potential health hazard in the neighbourhood.

"We have asked the residents to inform us in case the garbage is not picked up from the roads outside their homes. We have also been informing the BMC about spots where construction and tree debris blocks the roads," said Gumbar. We also remind the residents to get fumigation and sanitisation done in their buildings to avoid any health issues, he added.

"Residents' associations should be more active in times like these so that the residents can look up to them for help. We, along with the press, are the eyes and ears of our neighbourhood, to solve issues and make people aware of the rules and regulations," said Rao.

15
Day in July that LOCA was alerted to the stagnating pool water

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