Sea pollution continues to be a major problem in Mumbai as rivers and nullahs send debris and garbage into the sea. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is trying to rectify this problem with the help of nine barges equipped with trash brooms deployed across nine rivers and water bodies across the city.
These barges will come up in locations like Oshiwara river, Poisar river, Dahisar river, Vakola river, Mithi river, Gazdar Bandh Nalla, Main Avenue Nalla, Mogra Nalla, as well as the BKC bridge.
An official said that while these barges will be used in nine rivers/nullahs now, more such barges will be added across other rivers and water bodies in the city. This move would also avoid debris washing over on the seashore, consequently making beach cleanups somewhat easier for the civic body.
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The BMC will table a proposal for acquiring these specially designed barges with the Standing Committee while a final approval is expected to come by Wednesday, June 16. The civic body has tied up with contractor Virgo Specialties Private Limited to supply the barges and also handle the installation and maintenance of the barges for a period of three years. This venture will be carried out at a cost of ₹48 crores.
As per the BMC, garbage and debris collected through this process will be transported to designated dumping sites across the city.
“This is the first time we are installing barges equipped with trash brooms in major nullahs and rivers. The project was planned about two years back but somehow, it did not take off. The idea is to prevent floating garbage from entering the sea. During monsoon and high tide, tonnes of garbage is thrown back by the sea on the beaches, and Marine Drive. Every year, we face a lot of problems due to this,” a senior official from the Storm Water Drain Department said.
“If this goes well, we will install more such trash brooms on other major nullahs. In many cases, a nullah is (considered) cleaned as silt is removed but floating materials, mostly thrown by people living along the nullah, give out an impression of the nullah not being cleaned properly,” another BMC official said.
Also read - Environmentalists Warn Of Flood Risk Due To Landfilling Near Mithi River At Aarey
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