Mumbai: After years of delay and facing series of protests, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is finally a step closer to rejuvenating the Dahisar river, even as the rejuvenation of the Mithi and other two city rivers, Poisar and Oshiwara, remains a distant dream. BMC on Tuesday cleared 95 unauthorised structures on the banks of Dahisar river and rehabilitated around 35 (33 residential and two commercial) project affected people (PAP) at Mira Road.
The civic body has undertaken widening of the Dahisar river and constructing a retention wall admeasuring 225 metres with the help of the Stormwater Drains department. BMC has already completed 115 metres of retention wall. Meanwhile, 95 unauthorised structures along the river around Sanjay Nagar and Hanuman Nagar were demolished. As a precautionary measure, the civic body used a drone to detect any resistance from locals during the demolition drive.
The city has four important rivers: Mithi, Dahisar, Poisar and Oshiwara. After the 2005 deluge, the need to rejuvenate all these rivers was felt once again.
The state government had constituted a special Mithi River Development and Protection Authority for the job, but a large amount of work still remains to be done. This includes the removal of encroachment around the riverbank etc.
Meanwhile, the civic body has been trying to push for rejuvenation of the other rivers and there have been a few clean-up drives there. The Dahisar and Poisar rivers originate in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A comprehensive rejuvenation of these rivers would include the widening of rivers, checking sewage that enters the rivers untreated, diverting it to sewage treatment plants (STPs), and then channeling the treated water back into the river and improving quality of water. The bids have already been invited for all three rivers. “The retention wall we are building around the river with the help fo the SWD department will help abate floods during monsoon. We have already handed over a letter of authorisation and keys to eligible PAPs who have been rehabilitated at Mira Road,” said Bhagyashree Kapse, Assistant Municipal Commissioner R central ward (Borivali).
BMC, last year, invited bids for constructing new underground sewers along the Dahisar and Poisar river. It also invited bids for the construction of STPs along the Dahisar river and is hoping to start work soon. The major sources of pollution at Dahisar River include discharge of sewage, washing of cattle and vehicles, and dumping of garbage from adjoining slums, dumping of cattle carcasses and dung, etc. A citizen activist group River March has been at the forefront in raising t river rejuvenation.
BMC also has a separate plan for the Mithi river, which is called Mithi River Water Quality Improvement Programme, and has set aside around Rs. 600 crores for the project.
The Dahisar river will have three STPs with a capacity to treat 0.5 million liters per day (MLD) at Kulupwadi Nullah in Borivali, 1 MLD near SBI Colony in Borivali, and 5 MLD at Sanjay Nagar. “Much work related to laying sewers along the Dahisar river is done. Now, constructing the STPs will be a big step. We also hope to start work on Oshiwara and Poisar river soon,” an officer from the BMC’s stormwater drains department said.
