Clog drains, lose water supply: BMC

Localities that continue to dump solid waste into drains despite repeated warnings will lose their quota of water, the BMC warned on Tuesday, with the move drawing praise as well as criticism.

Civic officials said the Brihanmumbai Corporation was compelled to choose the harsh method to check unmindful disposal of solid waste after it realised that its drain-cleaning efforts were achieving desired results.

"It creates the perception that the BMC is not serious about cleaning city's nullahs," a corporation official told DNA. Mumbai generates nearly 7,500 tonnes of soild waste a day and experts say about 30 per cent of it is dumped into drains.

A senior official said the BMC has decided to install nets as well as floating booms to check solid waste flowing in nullahs. It also plans to raise awareness among citizens, particularly those in slum pockets, of the perils of dumping garbage in drains.

"If dumping of solid waste continues, penalty shall be imposed on offenders. And if the situation doesn't improve despite awareness efforts and penalty, then as a last measure the water supply of that locality will be disconnected," said a civic official, adding that the decision was taken during a pre-monsoon review by Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Tuesday.

Environmentalist Stalin D, who has been emphasising the need for installing nets in drains and has even approached the National Green Tribunal, welcomed the measure. "Finally, it feels good to have a municipal commissioner who is ready to take tough decisions for the sake of the environment."

Stalin said reckless dumping of waste and industrial effluent causes irreversible damage to the environment as well as marine flora and fauna. "This is also the perfect opportunity to create jobs by engaging self-help groups to collect and manage waste from slums."

However, a corporator termed the BMC's 'water solution' to the waste problem too harsh and difficult to implement. The corporator said, "How will the civic body prove that the garbage in a nullah has been dumped by people from a particular locality. Instead of such ideas, the BMC needs to concentrate on improving its waste management in slums."