‘Versova creek’s untreated sewage is polluting sea’

MUMBAI: A city-based NGO has filed a complaint with the state pollution control board and the civic body alleging high pollution levels along the Versova coastline,

MUMBAI: A city-based NGO has filed a complaint with the state pollution control board and the civic body alleging high pollution levels along the Versova coastline, and large quantities of sewage being deposited from the Versova creek into the sea with the help of satellite images.

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The complaint comes a day before representatives from the United Nations, including the executive director of UN Environment Programme, Erik Solheim, will join Versova residents for a beach clean-up.

Citing water quality data from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) website, NGO Watchdog Foundation said that the levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) – the concentration of oxygen required for aquatic life to survive – was at a minimum of 10 and maximum of 12 milligram per litre (mg/L).

According to the Central Pollution Control Board guidelines, a BOD level above 6 mg/L cannot sustain fish species and levels above 3 mg/L make the water unfit for human consumption.

“Untreated sewage and garbage is being dumped in all river systems that have turned into nullahs in the city. Owing to no treatment of effluents, the sewage is being deposited at sea,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation.

“After acquiring recent satellite images, it can be seen that a black patch of sewage water is emptying out from the Versova creek along the coastline. The pollution control bodies need to take immediate action to resolve this crisis.”

While MPCB officials said that they had taken cognisance of the complaint and were investigating the matter, civic body officials rubbished the allegations. “We are meeting all norms as per CPCB and MPCB standards at the Versova creek and shoreline,” said a senior official from sewage projects department of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

“Sewage and plastic is deposited right from the Malad creek that runs up to Versova without any effluent treatment carried out by the civic body. From the second week of October, we will be cleaning up all the nullahs to stop pollution from the source,” said Afroz Shah, founder, VRV.