BMC to clean Banganga pond

The BMC has finally decided to clean the Banganga pond after many requests from the residents of Malabar hill. The civic body is trying to locate the valve at the ground level, which can wash out the water from the pond.

The issue of cleaning the pond was unresolved for some years as various agencies were involved. The pond comes under archaeological department. So the BMC was reluctant to do the job. The rules of coastal regulation zone were also applicable for the pond.

According to the civic official if the valve opens all the water will be washed out and it will be easy to remove the silt inside the pond.

The valve is very old and the BMC has no information about exact location. “We are going to do survey and try to locate the valve. As soon as we get the valve cleaning will commence immediately,” said Laxman Vatkar, chief engineer, storm water drain department of BMC.

“There were demands from the residents about cleaning the pond,” said Milin Sawant, deputy municipal commissioner of zone-I. For the past few months, Pramod Mandrekar, a local corporator was also demanding on behalf of the Malabar Hill residents, to clean the pond.