Mumbai: The pilot project of installing 10-foot steel nets above the nullah in Bandra West has proven effective in reducing garbage dumping in the area. Encouraged by these positive results, the BMC is now planning to extend this initiative to other vulnerable nullahs, particularly those near slums and chawls.
The proposal is in its final stages, and a tender will be issued soon. Additionally, the BMC has identified several high-risk areas, including nullahs in Bandra, Dharavi, Kurla, near the Mithi River, Andheri, Goregaon, and Malad, where garbage dumping remains a persistent issue.
Every year, the BMC carries out desilting work before the monsoon to clear the city’s culverts and prevent flooding. However, many nullahs continue to get choked due to the garbage being dumped inside. To tackle this issue, in the past the civic body has tried several measures to prevent slum dwellers from discarding waste into the nullahs.
Despite these efforts, the persistent dumping of large items like furniture, cupboards, and sofas especially in slum areas remains a concern for civic officials. In December 2023, the storm water drain (SWD) department carried out an experiment of installing steel net on nullahs at P & T colony in Bandra west.
"Our ward staff monitored the location where the steel net was installed and observed a reduction in garbage being thrown into the nullah, as it became difficult to toss waste 8 to 10 feet high. Additionally, we conducted surveys of nullahs near chawls and slum areas to assess the situation and identify further solutions," said a senior civic official. There were also plans to set up closed circuit television (CCTV) to keep vigil over people throwing garbage in a nullah and take action on violators.
The BMC has previously implemented several measures to address garbage dumping in nullahs, including installing dustbins along the nullahs, covering them with nets, conducting awareness campaigns, and appointing clean-up marshals to monitor the area.
The civic body has also imposed fines on individuals caught dumping waste. The clogging of drains, particularly due to plastic carry bags, was one of the major causes of the devastating 26/7 deluge in 2005, which claimed over a thousand lives. Mumbai has a total of 309 major nullahs and 1,508 minor nullahs.
