Untreated sewage or chemical compounds released into the sea have tarnished marine life, but BMC doesn't think it's a problem
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The Queen's necklace - the pride of Mumbai - is a stinking mess, thanks to the untreated sewage and chemical compounds flushed into the sea by the BMC.
Environmental activist Pradip Patade, who has been documenting marine life along the coast of Mumbai, was shocked to discover that the seawater was turning black at Marine Drive. The black water was present in a 100x100 metre stretch opposite the Air India building at Nariman Point, right at the mouth of a sewage line.
At first, Patade thought the sunlight and waves were playing tricks on him, but when he went closer, he realised that the water was not only black but was reeking. “I go around to the stretch between Nariman point and Marine Lines every day. It's true, the sea along this stretch is polluted, but what I saw on Thursday was shocking. Opposite the Air India building, there is a sewage outlet from which a lot of untreated chemicals are drained out in the sea, which is not only polluting the water but is also a threat to the marine life. The place was also stinking because of this and a black layer was also seen on the concrete tetra pods,” said Patade.
He collected the samples of the water and also clicked photographs to justify his claim. “I tried contacting the authorities from the solid waste management department of BMC, but there was no response on their office number. I think the authorities need to take the issue seriously, otherwise it will have a negative impact on the marine life along the coast,” he added.
He also uploaded a post about this on the official Facebook page of the Solid Waste Management, to no avail. With no response from the BMC, Patade now intends to send the samples for testing at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).
- Inputs by Laxman Singh
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