Mumbai: Checkpoints to protect eco-sensitive zones

The illegal dumping near Shiv Galli in Versova Village

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering setting up checkpoints for illegal debris dumping sites. The move comes after civic chief Bhushan Gagrani asked officials to tackle the issue in the city.

Last week, Gagrani held a meeting at the civic headquarters regarding the hawkers' issues. During the meeting, he also expressed concern about the illegal dumping of debris in eco-sensitive areas, mainly on mangrove forest land. mid-day highlighted the illegal dumping issue in its June 25 edition, with photographs showing the encroachment in the mangrove area at Versova Village. Gagrani asked officials to explore the possibility of creating a flying squad to keep a watch in the mangrove areas.

"We are exploring the option of getting help from private security agencies and to set up a permanent checkpoint around the mangroves area. But the decision is yet to be finalised," said an official.

According to the official, the issue is related to some areas of the city, including Wadala, Versova, Malad and some other areas. "One thing is for sure and that is we want to crack down on illegal dumping of debris," the official said, adding that if illegal dumping is stopped, it will also put an end to illegal construction in the eco-sensitive area. The official further stated that the BMC has decided to create more people-friendly on-call systems for debris disposal, which will help citizens dispose of waste legally with the help of the BMC.

BMC cleared 457 metric tonnes of debris in June which was dumped illegally in city. BMC conducts a deep clean drive in the city every Saturday.