‘Stop dumping garbage in nullahs’

As an anxious city prays for rains and keeps its fingers crossed that it doesn’t drown if its prayers are answered, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief Swadheen Kshatriya believes there is no cause for concern.

As an anxious city prays for rains and keeps its fingers crossed that it doesn’t drown if its prayers are answered, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Swadheen Kshatriya believes there is no cause for concern.

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What is the status on the desilting of nullahs?
I have reviewed the work and feel 95 per cent of it is done. The rest will be completed by June 5.

Which agencies will contribute to preventing a disaster?
We’ve requested the newly-formed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to station its men here. Three NDRF companies will be stationed in Mumbai along with two companies of the State Railway Police Force (SRPF); nine naval teams will be on high alert. We are in constant touch with the weather bureau, the police and the Army.

If people are stranded in heavy rain, how will the BMC respond?
We have instructed each of our 24 wards to list five places that can be used as shelters. Our ward offices will make the arrangements.

Any appeal to Mumbaiites?
We desilt nullahs, but they get choked again because locals dump garbage in them. We request residents to stop dumping garbage in the nullahs. If the nullahs are blocked, flooding is inevitable.