Readers talk trash: Citizens should do better, but no for clean-up marshals

After this paper highlighted waste and debris woes in various city hotspots, readers and concerned citizens say civic body, people and ALMs should come together

Mumbaikars have two suggestions to mid-day’s two-part garbage menace series—civic sense and more public bins. Also, they have given a thumbs down to the BMC’s plan to bring the clean-up marshals back. Responding to mid-day’s coverage, netizens and readers said the civic body, the citizens and advanced locality managements (ALM) need to work together to tackle Mumbai’s stinking roads and neighbourhoods.

Throwing trash on roads is a big nuisance even in Marol. We have raised the issue continuously for months but rather than finding a permanent solution, the BMC just removes the trash in the morning to be again dumped in the evening at the same place...wondering what happened to the swachh bharat mission,” MaroL Citizens Voice posted on Twitter, now named X.

Mumbai Matters said that citizens are equally responsible for the menace. “The BMC can do last-mile cleanup, but the neighbourhood can be kept clean by the citizens.” Walking Project pointed to the need for more and more bins in public places. He tweeted, “Many places where people put garbage should actually have public bins. It is only intuitive and will encourage use of bins. Surroundings of bins also need to be pressure washed and cleaned thoroughly to prevent littering around the bin instead of inside. Poor cleaning around garbage bins leads to piling on whatever little trash there is.”

The bins were overflowing with garbage at Patel Wadi neighbourhood, at Yaari Road in Versova, in July. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Ami posted on Twitter that everyone needs to work together for a cleaner society. “Citizens BMC and ALMs need to work on it together. Hawkers are also a major contributor to the garbage menace. Bandra station (West) has at least five garbage dumps from station to lake. Juice and vegetable vendors dump the waste and citizens have no civic sense. They clean their home and dump trash on the streets,” she tweeted. 

‘City’s a big garbage bin’

Eva Pereira said, “Can't blame it all on BMC. Citizens are throwing garbage all over the city. No civic sense. Kiran added, “The city looks like a large open dustbin. No accountability.” Mahedra H tweeted that luckily “our A ward demonstrates excellent responsiveness and officers in SWM are readily accessible to the community. Even Seema Patel pointed out the same. She wrote, “Only certain areas like south Mumbai are clean. I am tired of writing to the BMC. Mumbai is unclean due to garbage. Any areas outside railway stations like Dadar, Lower Parel, Malad are unclean. And Mumbai is the financial capital.

Hefty fines needed

MumBoy wrote, “It is also a by-product of encroachment... Besides, people refuse to use large garbage bins. They should be fined heavily for this. On the other hand, SWM collection trucks and employees are also not equipped to handle large dustbins.” “While people keep their houses spic and span they must do the very same in public to ensure clean streets. The authorities should do their part by daily street-cleaning and disinfection and by fining garbage throwers on-the-spot and doubling the fine for repeat offenders and by launching online and offline hygiene programmes,” said Peter Castellino, a mid-day reader.

Another reader Satyanarayan Kabra said, “The BMC is prompt in collecting garbage from outside societies as well as other areas, yet the city is facing mounting garbage issues. City's population has risen dramatically and trash generated each day has increased manifold. Perhaps, garbage needs to be collected both in the morning and evening. Also, hawkers and small eateries throw leftovers recklessly on the roadside. This needs to be monitored. Steep fines must be imposed on those not maintaining cleanliness.” 

‘Cause of disease, too’

“The main cause of gastro, malaria and dengue spreading in the city is garbage and debris that is not being cleared by the BMC, which is a matter of concern. As far as debris is concerned, the authority needs to fine and punish those who dump it. Make them liable for removing the debris,” said Iqbal Gilani Mansuri, another reader.

‘Clean-up marshals are extortionists’

Mumbai Matters tweeted, “Clean-up marshals are notorious for their dishonesty. They have to clean up their image first and create trust and confidence. Mumbaikars look at them as extortionists...” Another group of Chandivali citizens, sharing experience of some shopkeepers, said that clean-up marshals would demand from them yearly, one-time protection fees to not penalise them. MumbaiKaSwamiBola tweeted that clean-up marshals are simply “extortionists who give police threats. Under no circumstance, would I suggest they be brought back.” MARWAmulund, however, thinks, “There hopefully will be some fear among citizens (due to clean-up marshals), but a consistent approach is needed with ward level stats to be published daily to start with and then weekly, this will ensure accountability. [sic]”

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