Hindustan Times 08.12.2010
800 workers clean up after visitors throng Shivaji ParkA day after Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s followers thronged his memorial at Chaityabhoomi at Shivaji Park to mark Mahaparinirvan Din — his death anniversary — the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pressed over 800 staff to clean up the area. The BMC staffers collected garbage weighing 55 tonnes from the area over a period of two days. This is in addition to the 10-12 tonnes of regular garbage that this area produces on a regular day.
BMC officials said strict orders were given to workers of the solid waste management team to begin a cleanliness drive from midnight on Monday.
“We collected garbage from the roads, mopped the pavements and roads and also treated the area with disinfectants,” said deputy municipal commissioner, Kishore Kshirsagar.
Arterial and the smaller internal roads were cleared of garbage and litter by Tuesday morning.
All the temporary shelters that were erected for the followers have been dismantled,” said another official, on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“The BMC has done a satisfactory job of cleaning the place. But the facilities that the BMC provided during the event were not adequate,” said Ashok Rawat, activist and resident of Shivaji Park.
Officials said apart from washing the roads, machines were used to clean them.
The ground was opened for sports on Tuesday afternoon.
Makeshift toilets and drinking water taps were provided along the route to Chaityabhoomi. The BMC lifeguards and boats were also stationed along the seafront near Shivaji Park.
