Thane: Waldhuni river turns into garbage site, Ulhasnagar residents fear flood in monsoon

The Waldhuni River near Ulhasnagar station has turned into a garbage site as heaps of trash can be seen on the water. According to social activist Hari Chawla of Ulhasnagar, there are chances of flood in most parts of the area in the coming monsoon as garbage has blocked the river at many sites.

The river in Thane district flows through Ambernath, Ulhasnagar and Kalyan regions.

Earlier, the flood was witnessed in Vadolgaon, Karothia Nagar and other places that pushed tons of garbage into the Waldhuni River.

Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation claims to clean river regularly, but heaps of garbage still present

The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) claims to have been clearing the garbage regularly to reduce flooding in low-lying areas. However, heaps of garbage can be seen on the river.

The civic body has made an allocation of Rs3 crore for cleaning the river and other drains in the city.

Social activists and residents urge UMC to take concrete steps to clean Waldhuni River

Chawla said, “We have been complaining to the UMC and other bodies like Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) but no concrete steps were taken. The river gives a more polluted look day by day. Earlier, few locals including social activists held the cleaning drive; however, more work measures are needed to clean the river.”

He said the waste is being dumped into it and untreated effluents also get discharged into it.

A Vadolgaon resident Anurag More said, “Last year river water entered our houses because of severe flooding. The civic body should clean the garbage ahead of the monsoon.”

The founder of the non-governmental organisation Waldhuni Biradari Sashikant Dayma said, “The stink from the river has been increasing due to the garbage. The UMC officials should clean up the river on a priority basis and also residents should be careful to not dump trash into the river.”