Dumping waste in drains? BMC may disconnect your water supply

Aside from levying fines against those caught throwing garbage, localities that continue to do so will face disconnection of their water supply.

Ahead of monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has warned repeat offenders among buildings and slums to stop dumping garbage in storm-water drains or face water supply disconnection.

Each year, the BMC carries out desilting of drains as a part of its monsoon preparations. The drains are largely filled with trash thrown by the localities situated alongside these channels. (Bachchan Kumar / HT Photo)

The new civic chief Pravin Pardeshi, in his first monthly review meeting on Tuesday, directed officials to take strict action against repeat offenders. Aside from levying fines against those caught throwing garbage, localities that continue to do so will face disconnection of their water supply.

Each year, the BMC carries out desilting of drains as a part of its monsoon preparations. The drains are largely filled with trash thrown by the localities situated alongside these channels.

There have been complaints against surrounding encroachments are responsible for causing clogging of the drains during heavy monsoon. The BMC will put nets around these drains and will also set up floating brooms to collect the trash. A senior civic official explaining the plan for this year, said, “The nets will be put up to block public access for dumping waste in the drains. The floating trash brooms are expected to arrest floating garbage like plastic and thermocol from entering the sea. Ward level officers will keep track of the waste being dumped in the drains of their areas. We will issue warnings and in extreme cases where we observe that it continues, the water supply will be disconnected.”

Apart from this, Pardeshi has directed officials to revamp the civic body’s ‘MCGM 24x7’ app to improve response to grievances. He has asked officials to enhance the module of the complaint section so that complainants can upload pictures alongside their grievances and connect this to the GPS system to track the spot easily. The civic chief also instructed officials to upload photos of the pre-monsoon work of desilting of drains and road repairs by June 21, on the app.

For buildings categorised as dilapidated, officials have been directed to vacate them and initiate demolition work. The BMC has identified 499 buildings as unsafe for occupation this year. They are categorised as C1- extremely dilapidated buildings.