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Dahisar River rejuvenation project gets a big boost


Dahisar River rejuvenation project gets a big boost
SHARES


The plan to rejuvenate Dahisar river has recently received a massive boost. After years of delay, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally started mobilising this rejuvenation project. However, the rejuvenation of the Mithi and other two city rivers, Poisar and Oshiwara, remains a distant dream for the BMC.

On Tuesday, the civic body cleared 95 unauthorised structures on the banks of Dahisar river and rehabilitated around 35 (33 residential and two commercial) project affected people (PAP) at Mira Road. Now the municipal corporation has undertaken a project to widen the Dahisar river and is constructing a retention wall measuring 225 metres with the help of the Stormwater Drains department.

So far, the civic body has finished work for 115 meters of retention wall. In the meantime, BMC has demolished 95 unauthorised structures along the river around Sanjay Nagar and Hanuman Nagar. BMC had deployed a drone to detect any resistance from locals during the demolition drive.

Mumbai has four major rivers: Mithi, Dahisar, Poisar, and Oshiwara. After the 2005 floods, BMC felt the need to rejuvenate all these rivers. Under which, the state government has already constituted a special Mithi River Development and Protection Authority for the job. Yet, a large amount of work still remains to be done, including the removal of encroachment around the riverbank.

The civic body has been trying to boost the rejuvenation of other rivers and has conducted a few clean-up drives as well. The Dahisar and Poisar rivers originate in Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and the rejuvenation of these rivers would include the widening of rivers, keeping a check on untreated sewage that enters the rivers, diverting it to sewage treatment plants (STPs), and eventually, channelling the treated water back into the river and improving quality of water.

BMC has already invited bids for the rejuvenation plan of all three rivers. Last year, BMC had invited bids for constructing new underground sewers along Dahisar and Poisar rivers. The civic body has also invited bids for the construction of STPs along the Dahisar river. Therefore, the work for the same is expected to begin soon.

Pollution at Dahisar River has been attributed to the discharge of sewage, washing of cattle and vehicles, and dumping of garbage from adjoining slums, dumping of cattle carcasses and dung, etc.

According to reports, the Dahisar river will have three STPs with a capacity to treat 0.5 million litres per day (MLD) at Kulupwadi Nullah in Borivali, 1 MLD near SBI Colony in Borivali, and 5 MLD at Sanjay Nagar.

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