“To arrest the solid waste flowing into the sea, we are planning to install flood screens at the entry points of creeks,” said additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta.

“These flood screens will have vertical bars at a distance of three inches and they will be installed at the end of all storm water drain outfalls,” said a senior civic official.

The waste that will be stopped by the screens will be collected by civic staff, he said. There are around 141 storm water drain outfalls in Mumbai. Gupta said technology and practicality of the method has been already worked out.

“We will ensure that the waste gathered at the end of the outfalls is removed regulary. The waste will then be transported to dump yards”. According to BMC, around 20-25 metric tonnes of garbage is collected from city beaches, including Girgaum, Dadar, Mahim, Juhu, Aksa, and Gorai beaches, a day. During the monsoon, the garbage collected from these beaches increases to at least 90 metric tonne a day.

Mumbai generates around 8000 metric tonnes of waste a day, of which 5-10 per cent is plastic. Most of the garbage flows towards the sea during monsoon, say officials of the solid waste management.

As per the environment status report, 2008-09, there are 107 major outfalls in the city. There are four outfalls at Mahim creek and four at Mahul creek. The 29 outfalls in western suburbs drain directly into the sea and 14 into Mithi river. In eastern suburbs, 14 outfalls discharge waste into Thane creek while eight discharge into Mahul creek.