BMC to spend Rs 47 lakh on beach clean-up…..Hetal Vyas
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will spend Rs 47.14 lakh every six months to clean 21 beaches in Mumbai. The civic body informed the Bombay high court on Thursday that it has already awarded a tender for the job to a private company, which started work from November 15, 2010.
The dirty beach zone of Mumbai-the entire stretch between Nariman Point and Haji Ali-will be cleaned by a private agency. Cleaning of beaches in ‘A’ and ‘D’ wards of Mumbai will take about 22 days, stated an affidavit filed by S G Shaikh, executive engineer (environment) zone
The affidavit was submitted by advocate Priti Purandare in reply to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Maha-Goolestan Co-operative Housing Society at Mahalaxmi.
The court had sought a report indicating measures taken to clean the beach zone between Mahalaxmi and Warden Road in South Mumbai, as the PIL was filed only seeking directives for maintenance of the beach zone in this area. The PIL filed in 2008 by the housing society pointed out the beach zone between Mahalaxmi and Warden Road and the sea belt particularly around Mahalaxmi temple has virtually turned into a dumping ground. The Mahalaxmi temple is is visited by thousands of devotees every day. The PIL said authorities like BMC, Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board should be directed to maintain cleanliness in that zone, prosecuting people who throw garbage in and around the sea.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice S J Vajifdar will hear the PIL after four weeks.