Concerned about the state of the Krishna Nagar nullah, which flows from SEEPZ to the Mithi river, the NGO Watchdog Foundation emailed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on May 28, two days after heavy showers lashed Mumbai, and attached pictures of the clogged drain. While locals prevailed over the civic body, which cleaned the nullah yesterday, officials pointed out that citizens should refrain from throwing trash in nullahs, which leads to waterlogging.
Andheri residents strike a pose near the nullah after it was desilted on May 29. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Meanwhile, residents were shocked to find the debris dumped alongside the drain at several spots, giving rise to a situation where silt could end up back in the water body should it rain heavily again.
Residents’ grievance
Residents in several wards have expressed concern about the BMC`s delayed desilting operations. Despite repeated verbal and written complaints, nullahs in key areas were not cleaned in time. However, one such complaint, made by the Watchdog Foundation, which works to solve citizens’ problems, did not fall on deaf ears.
Vishal Raut, Andheri resident
Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation, said, “For many years, the Krishna Nagar nullah did not seem to be properly cleaned, and residents would be inconvenienced during the rainy season. We took matters into our own hands and conducted a check to understand the situation, and we were not surprised. The BMC’s website stated that the nullah had been cleaned ‘100.81 per cent’. But despite this, garbage could be seen in it. So, we wrote a letter on May 28 and attached pictures as proof.”
The nullah after the BMC cleaned it again following the complaint. Pic/Nimesh Dave
Vishal Raut, who lives in the vicinity of Krishna Nagar nullah, said, “We complained verbally several times at the ward office, requesting them to clear the nullah. But no one acted. Now, after a deluge lashed the city, they have woken up. Why do the citizens have to be after the corporation? Even if the nullah is cleaned, it’s of no use if it rains tonight [on Thursday night] or before they pick up the debris. The waste will flow back into the nullah and choke it again. If the authorities had cleaned the nullah on time, which is ideally at the beginning of May, they would have had time to let the silt dry outside the nullah. But now that the monsoon season has arrived, they should pick it up immediately.”
Tall claim
Residents also stated that the BMC claimed almost 76 trucks were used to clean the entire stretch. “However, barely five trucks arrived today [May 29],” said another resident. According to Pimenta, the Krishna Nagar nullah, which is 2.27 km long, starts at SEEPZ in Andheri, and passes by SevenHills Hospital, Marol village, the Leela Mumbai hotel and finally meets the Mithi river.
BMC Speak
Senior civic official, BMC
Meanwhile, the authorities have mentioned that it is not just the responsibility of the corporation but also of residents to ensure that nullahs are not clogged. “Yes, we are responsible for cleaning nullahs, especially before the monsoon season. But why do they need cleaning in the first place? Why do people throw garbage in them? If residents had civic sense, half of the problem would be solved. We accept that there was a delay. We will clean up the debris at the earliest. For now, we have cleaned the nullah on a war footing and there won’t be waterlogging in this area now,” said a senior civic official.
