Littered streets on Day 2 of civic body's zero-garbage drive

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) 'zero garbage' drive that kicked off on Saturday proved to be a non-starter on Day 1.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) 'zero garbage' drive that kicked off on Saturday proved to be a non-starter on Day 1.

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By Sunday evening, garbage bins were overflowing across the city as complaints poured in from Dadar, Mumbai Central, Tardeo Road, Kurla, Malad, Chembur and Ghatkopar about unattended garbage.

The BMC had decided to launch a three-month 'zero-garbage' drive, from October 1 to December 31, in a bid to woo citizens before the civic polls.

The drive is the initiative of the mayor, Shraddha Jadhav, but had bombed earlier as well.

A similar drive was undertaken in May for a week, before the onset of the monsoon. "There is no sign of the special drive as we saw the same scene on Dadasaheb Phalke Road on Sunday. Garbage bins are overflowing, which happens otherwise, too," said Rajesh Sawant, a resident of Dadar (East).

Bhalchandra Patil, chief engineer of solid waste management (SWM) department, however, claimed that the BMC was getting a good response for a 'zero garbage' drive.

"I visited a few places in the city and suburbs. We have concentrated on non-notified places, which are places apart from collection points, such as open spaces, where people dump garbage and the spot goes unnoticed."

"Also the idea behind zero garbage is to pick up garbage within 24 hours and keep extra bins where bins are already overflowing," Patil added. While asked about increasing trips, Patil said, "We have allocated discretionary powers to the concerned assistant municipal commissioners to hire private vehicles."

During the zero garbage drive undertaken by the BMC in May, it was revealed that the civic SWM department was woefully short-staffed and transport vehicles, too, were inadequate.

"There are already 1,300 vacant posts and we have been demanding for a long time that these be filled," Sanjay Kamble, union leader of Hindustan Mazdoor Sangh, said.