Mumbai: ‘No time now to ensure clean-till-bottom nullahs’

CM Eknath Shinde inspecting the cleaning of a nullah. Pic/Prajakta Kasale

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, during a visit on Friday to inspect pre-monsoon work in the city, instructed the BMC to desilt nullahs so thoroughly that the bottom of the waterbody is reached. However, former engineers have expressed scepticism, stating that the timeframe is too short, while activists criticised the move as a political gimmick and have called for clean nullahs year-round, not just before the monsoon. The cleaning of nullahs and roadside gutters is an annual task for the BMC, starting in the second week of March. As of May 21, approximately 9.25 lakh metric tonnes of silt have been removed, accounting for 95 per cent of the target quantity before the monsoon.

An ex-engineer from the stormwater drain department of the BMC explained that the corporation determines the silt removal quantity based on past experiences, assuming that removing around 10 lakh tonnes of silt (approximately 20 to 30 cm of silt) yields satisfactory results in the monsoon. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted. Field experiences indicate that the actual silt volume reaches rock bottom, which is approximately three times the current target. Increasing the quantity may lead to allegations of corruption as the tender amount is linked to the quantity.

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Another engineer emphasised the need for a proper study by a third party, as the silt quantity is not uniform. The contract for nullah cleaning has already been awarded based on the quantity, and now the BMC needs to decide how to proceed with the additional work. However, removing the silt till rock bottom within the next few days is nearly impossible. Environmentalists highlight that rivers such as Oshiwara, Mithi, and Poisar should not be disturbed.

"The CM is just making a show. He doesn't know the difference between a river and a drain. Drains should have a system for trapping dirt and be cleaned 24x7. Simple systems are available to keep nullahs clean throughout the year. The entire concept of cleaning a drain only once a year is wrong. Lastly, anyone who thinks that cleaning the drains can stop Mumbai flooding is mistaken. Mumbai floods due to wrong planning by the government," said Zoru Bathena, an environmental activist.

Activists also highlighted the role of Solid Waste Management in slums to prevent waste from being dumped in nullahs. "The rejuvenation of Mithi is a big facade since there are hundreds of sewage outlets from housing societies and slums along the 11 km stretch, which pollute it daily. Regrettably, MPCB and BMC have failed to stop this," said Godfrey Pimenta, an activist.

"It is necessary to desilt the nullahs until the bottom. This was targeted 15 years ago but never achieved. The administration has only defined the quantity of silt to be removed without considering the total silt," said Bhalchandra Shirsat, former corporator of the BJP. "In the history of BMC, nullahs desilting has never been done until the rock bottom, as the tender specifies the amount of silt to be removed," said Ravi Raja, former Congress corporator and leader of the opposition.

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Quantiy in lakh tonnes of silt removed from nullahs every year