Arnala is also considered as a holy place and hence ashes are immersed here because three rivers confluence at Arnala
Palghar : Strong stench emerging from a dumping ground, around 80 odd strays, potholes-ridden approach road, disrespectful and arrogant toll collectors is what welcomes a visitor at this historical and tourist place called Arnala beach in Virar.
This beach boasts of a Mahatma Gandhi memorial built on October 2, 1956, century old temples, kilo meters of a coastal belt all getting hounded in the midst of the above negative factors sending its touristic and historic values for a toss. Villagers and other revellers don’t even think twice before openly defecating on the beach, and also near the Mahatma Gandhi memorial.
All these factors make Arnala beach the most avoidable beaches helping only teens, college goers and minors to use this place for their revelry and to get intimate. “Earlier at least some foreigners used to visit but now their sight is a rarity,” added a villager, reiterating the importance of a clean Arnala beach. It also houses a crematorium wherein people are forced to walk through the stench and garbage to complete the rituals.
This dumping ground, which collects garbage of the 30,000 odd population of Arnala Gram Panchayat, is right on the beach and lies without any fencing. This lack of fencing makes it very easy for the garbage to be swept back into the ocean with the tidal waves during high tide posing danger to the marine and aquatic life, which has remained unchecked for decades. The presence of dumping ground which comprises of fish market waste and garbage collected from the villagers, is the best invite a stray would require and hence presence of around 70 odd dogs could be seen during day time, making this a heaven for themselves. If the villagers are to be believed, this number swells beyond a century mark during night time.
“That particular stretch, measuring almost a kilometer, is filled with tons of garbage, strays, people defecating openly and if any given day a kid is unfortunately attacked by these strays then not only will he be killed, but it would be difficult to trace his remains,” said a local who runs his cold drink shop on the beach. Another villager added, “The dumping of garbage has been there since many decades but no solution could be reached till now and is spoiling the scenic value of this beach. This not only attracts dogs but also could be invitation for life threatening diseases.”
Sarpanch Archana Patil said, “With a population of around 25000 we should never be a Gram Panchayat in the first place and should have been a Nagar Parishad. We do not have the garbage disposal equipments. It’s true that a lot of garbage is swpet in the sea.”
She further added,” People openly defecate on the beach in spite of village having public toilets.”
