The Indian Express           30.10.2013

BMC plans 7-year beach cleaning programme

To clean up the dirt and the image of Mumbai's six popular beaches, the BMC plans to undertake aRs 20 -crore seven-year programme. The civic body is also cancelling the current five-year beach clean-up contracts finalised in 2011.

From the budget allocation, tenders collectively amounting to Rs 10 crore are dedicated to only two of the city's most famous beaches — Girgaum Chowpatty and Juhu. Of these, the tender for comprehensive management of cleanliness at Girgaum Chowpatty estimated to cost about Rs 4 crore, has been floated. The city's coastline of naturally protected areas measures 33.95 km.

"Along with manual cleaning, the tenders include use of two sand-moving vehicles that collect garbage as they drive along the coast. The contractors will have to acquire their own garbage collection vehicles for transporting the waste to the refuse transfer stations," said Additional Municipal Commissioner Mohan Adtani, in charge of the solid waste management (SWM) department.

In 2011, the Bombay High Court rapped the civic body for failing to clean the beaches. Thereafter, the BMC laid an estimated Rs 12.6 crore beach clean-up plan and contractors were appointed for five years.

"Mumbai's beaches fall under the collector's land but as a civic service for the city but we are taking up the issue. We will collect the cleaning charges through property tax from the government," Adtani said.

According to the SWM department, the chief reason for dirty beaches is the waste citizens throw into nullahs and roadside drains. "This is released into the sea by the storm water drains and washed ashore during high tide. The problem is severe during monsoon. It is difficult to collect this garbage the sand is wet," Adtani said.

The department had proposed removable garbage screens in the storm water drains network. However, the proposal was shot down by the storm water drains department.