Garbage dumping by BMC at Juhu Koliwada is creating a health hazard: Citizens

The citizen group Juhu Buzz, in a detailed email to the senior BMC officials, wrote, “We are deeply troubled by the ongoing practice of transferring trash from Juhu Beach to Juhu Koliwada Beach. Over time, this practice has resulted in heaps of garbage piling up on the once pristine sands of Juhu Koliwada Beach

Mumbai: Residents of Juhu Koliwada and citizen groups have raised a stink over garbage piling up at Juhu Koliwada beach. In an email to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and posts on social media platforms, the citizens’ group ‘Juhu Buzz’ highlighted the problem of BMC contractors cleaning Juhu beach and dumping the waste on the Juhu Koliwada side of the beach. The BMC, however, said that the issue is temporary, and the site is being used by them to segregate waste from the sand before it is sent for dumping.

Mumbai, India - Aug. 14, 2023:Citizens and citizen group of Juhu Koliwada have complained that contractor appointed to clean Juhu beach is dumping heaps and heaps of waste at Juhu Koliwada beach after cleaning the Juhu beach, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, August 14, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The citizen group Juhu Buzz, in a detailed email to the senior BMC officials, wrote, “We are deeply troubled by the ongoing practice of transferring trash from Juhu Beach to Juhu Koliwada Beach. Over time, this practice has resulted in heaps of garbage piling up on the once pristine sands of Juhu Koliwada Beach,” said the email. “The consequences of such actions are not only detrimental to our environment but also pose a significant threat to the delicate balance of our ecosystem.”

Stanley Raman, resident of Juhu Koliwada, said that although the BMC is picking up the waste regularly, the dumping of waste is so much that it has started to pile up. “The sea is throwing out all the waste, and it has been coming out at the northern side of Juhu beach. The area has a lot of hotels and bungalows there. Hence, the BMC is picking up all the waste from there and dumping it on the southern side, which is Juhu Koliwada. After dumping, the garbage is removed, but the rate of removal, is not the same, which resulted in the waste piling up,” said Raman. “The waste has oil, grease, plastic, and other things, making it a health hazard. This spot was for children to play here, but now it is not possible.”

Juhu Koliwada resident Nicky Dsouza shared that garbage piling up emanates a stench. “This is a health hazard for the citizens, and in high tide, garbage can go back into the sea, making all efforts of the BMC useless. We hope this is lifted soon. Fisherfolks park their boats, and senior citizens who can’t walk much sit here in the evenings,” he said.

The garbage washing up the shore this year is a lot more than the previous years. The waste contains large quantities of plastic, silt, water bottles, and even wooden sawdust and other waste. The waste is 1.5 to 2ft deep in the sand. Hence, they have to use JCB to pick up the waste, said an official from the BMC’s solid waste management department,

“We are cleaning the beach thoroughly. More than 15 –20 trucks are on the spot to pick up waste day and night. The waste collected has a lot of sand hence, we dump it at one spot, segregate and then pick it up, otherwise a lot of sand will be lost. This is just temporary, and this will be cleared soon,” said the BMC official.