South Mumbai residents, BMC team up to get rid of plastic before June 23

A three-day waste collection drive will be held this weekend in municipal ward A to collect trash plastic from 200 buildings in the area.

Residents of 200 buildings in south Mumbai have teamed up with citizens association and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to dispose of all the plastic waste before the June 23 deadline on the use of various kinds of plastic.

The BMC will provide vans on call service to societies across the city. (HT File Photo)

A three-day plastic waste collection drive will be held this weekend in municipal ward A (consisting of parts of Fort, Ballard Estate, Colaba and Marine Drive), to collect trash plastic from 200 buildings in the area.

“The people in our area wanted to dispose plastic, but they didn’t know whom to approach. If they would dispose it with their waste, it would go back to the landfills and we didn’t want that to happen,” said Aditi Jain, vice-president, Cuffe Parade Residents Association (CPRA).

Jain added that they will now be informing people in the area about the collection schedule, so that they can dispose the plastic waste in the van provided to them by the BMC.

“This will led to an increase in awareness among the residents, because while informing them after the plastic disposal, resident associations will also speak to them after the problems caused due to plastic and about the plastic alternatives available,” said Kunti Oza of Oval Cooperage Residents’ Association (OCRA).

The residents also approached former Member of Parliament –Milind Deora to get their area free of plastic. Speaking at the launch of #quitplasticmovement at the World Trade Centre on Monday, Deora said that apart from the collection drive, a competition would be held, where the waste collected by these societies will be measured and the society disposing the maximum amount of plastic would be acknowleged on social media.

Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, said that apart from sending collection vans in these areas, the civic body would be providing vans on call service to societies across the city.

“Those who want their plastic to be collected, can call us on the toll free no 1800 222 357, and we will provide with a collection vehicle. All the waste collected will be disposed of scientifically or recycled. We have already collected 137 tonnes of plastic from across the city in a month, and hope to collect more ahead of the June 23 deadline,” said Dighavkar.