Mumbai: Now, BMC ward officers must spend half a day supervising sanitary work

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Governor Ramesh Bais in the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ programme by BMC at Girgaon Chowpatty on October 2. Pic/Sameer Markande

In a meeting on Tuesday to improve cleanliness in public places and toilets, the BMC administrator directed deputy municipal commissioners to visit their administrative ward for half a day every day to supervise the sanitary work. The move comes after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde strongly expressed dissatisfaction over the cleanliness. The BMC had held at least two meetings in September on the issue and asked the DMCs to take a round in their wards for two hours every day. But even after it, there hasn't been much impact on the ground. Former municipal commissioner I S Chahal also asked SRA officials to improve the sanitation of toilets under their authority within a month as the CM had visited an SRA building on Sunday and slammed BMC officials after seeing the toilets were unclean.

CM's visit

IN PHOTOS: Mumbaikars are breathing worst air ever, reveals BMC report

1 year agoPHOTO GALLERY

On Sunday, after a one-hour cleanliness drive under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, the CM made a surprise visit to Vatsalabai Naik Nagar SRA colony in Kurla and asked the residents whether the toilets were being cleaned five times a day. After getting a negative response from them, he warned of strict action to the accompanying BMC officials. Shinde also instructed Chahal to take stringent action against the concerned officers in areas where public toilets are not being cleaned five times a day. On Monday, there were two meetings held at the BMC, on improving facilities for sanitation work and to discuss the Vatsalabai Naik Nagar issue. In the first meeting, BMC officials discussed overall garbage and cleaning issues.

Chahal directed that the ward officers visit their administrative wards for half a day every day to supervise the sanitation work. "The system should be closely monitored at the ward level to see whether it is actually functioning. The work of sanitation agents should be reviewed regularly. Data of manpower employed on contract basis and actual working manpower should be verified," said the commissioner. He also emphasized keeping highways, service roads and small lanes clean. If the manpower and number of vehicles required for sanitation is insufficient, they should be increased. Waste collection and disposal should be accelerated, public toilets should be cleaned and disinfected five times a day.

‘Funds to be provided'

Sanitation workers get paid for cleaning toilets twice a day. The BMC will provide material for disinfection of toilets five times a day. "The solid waste management will provide funds to the ward offices to provide materials," said a BMC official. The SRA executive officer was present during the second meeting, to discuss the SRA colony issue. "People blame the BMC for unclean toilets in SRA colonies. The commissioner asked the executive to make a plan to clean these toilets and he was given a month's timeline," said another official.

Illegal hoardings to be removed

The BMC also started a campaign to remove all the illegal hoardings in the city. There are hoardings from political parties all over the city during and after the Ganesh festival. The former municipal commissioner also instructed officials to start the drive again and remove all illegal banners, posters, hoardings.