Now, pick-up vans at your doorstep to collect plastic in South Mumbai

In order to help residents dispose of plastic they already have at home, residents, corporator and BMC got together to collect plastic from their doorstep. A BMC van was sent around to collect plastic from Colaba and Cuffe Parade area. The van was sent around over the weekend and on Monday.

"We did a collection drive in Colaba in the weekend and we will be having one in Cuffe Parade too," said Harshita Narwekar, corporator from BJP, who along with Makararand Narwekar organised the bus van service.

"The idea was that people can give away whatever left over plastic they have at home. We partnered with the BMC and also with residents," said Makararand, who had actively joined the drive to collect banned plastic from people's homes around Cuffe Parade.

"I think we managed to collect 80 per cent of the plastic that was in people's homes. We had already told societies to tell each of the flat owners to keep the plastic ready so that it can be taken away when the van arrived. We also managed to educate hawkers and shopkeepers on giving away the plastic that they had. A lot of plastic that they still had and could not give away earlier, was collected and given to the BMC," said Harish Hathiramani, member of Old Cuffe Parade Association.

BMC said that around 60 kg of plastic was collected in the drive.

"The last date of giving away plastic is already over. However, we are collecting plastic till the time plastic is there because that is BMC's responsibility. Residents can give away plastic they have at the centres that we have kept open for collection of banned plastic," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward in which two areas fall.