Locals want beach front at Mahalaxmi temple cleaned

The beach front at Bhulabhai Desai Road is turning into a dumping ground, say residents of the area who have moved the Bombay high court seeking a direction to clean the place. 

Earlier, they had complained that neither the BMC nor the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had taken any steps to prevent dumping of garbage on the beach front from Mahalaxmi temple to Warden Road. Their counsel, however, told the court on Thursday that majority of the garbage was coming from Mahalaxmi temple. 

He added that the offerings made to the deity at the temple are thrown into the sea and they get washed to the shore.

The advocate for the temple trust told the court that the temple had made proper arrangements for disposal of the offerings by providing a separate vessel. “We have restricted, covered the area (leading to the sea front),” he said. 

Representing the civic body, senior advocate KK Singhvi said that the BMC’s squad removed the offerings. 

Justice DY Chandrachud asked if it would be possible for an additional municipal commissioner to convene a meeting with the citizens and act as a nodal officer in this drive. The court was informed that the deputy municipal commissioner had already convened a meeting with the citizens. 

The advocate for the petitioners told the court that the residents have appointed an architect to survey the area and his report would be submitted to the court.  

The court had asked the petitioners to submit the report by November 25.