BMC is always in the news for wrong things, hope not again

HIGHLIGHTS of the year 2017 – major happenings and decisions the city experienced

BMC Chief Ajoy Mehta firmly said there should be a close vigil on the condition of manhole covers and the department responsible must ensure no manhole is left open

AS the year 2017 is set to complete and everyone will welcome the new year. Let's take a round on various happenings the city has experienced and the important decisions taken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the entire year.

BMC’S GARBAGE COLLECTION EASES

Discontinuing garbage collection from bulk generators, relaxes October 2, 2017 deadline after objection from political parties:

Following the Bombay High Court order of no more garbage dumping at Deonar dumping ground and other and in addition no new construction work to be started across Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has found out a new way to reduce the untreated garbage going to the dumping ground and also hope to reduce the burden on all three dumping grounds.

The Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta had in July ordered that housing societies that produce more than 100kg of waste daily or have an area of around 2,000 square metre, will have to segregate waste daily and process it.

The BMC issued 5,304 circulars to bulk generators, including restaurants, hotels, gymkhanas and commercial complexes, among others, to begin segregation.

But following opposition, the civic body announced to relax the deadline and had asked for housing societies to submit a plan to get the extension. However, only hundred bulk generators across 24 wards came forward to ask for the extension, while more than 3,000 units did not respond to civic body’s deadline.

In the first week of September, the BMC also staged a citywide exhibition, displaying the composting machines of 40 to 50 firms before 22,000 bulk generators.

It was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Every day, around 7,800 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city, of which around 3,000 metric tonnes is treated scientifically at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground. With the new order, the BMC hopes to reduce the burden on the three dumping grounds which has currently crossed the limit of dumping waste.

ALL MANHOLES TO BE SHUT: MEHTA

The death of Dr. Deepak Amarapurkar after falling into a manhole during the August 29, 2017 floods once again it highlighted the apathy of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and how a common has to suffer due to the negligence of BMC. However, after two months the civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta directs all ward officials to close all open manhole or cover all manhole of which the covers are missing.

Also, address the complaint of manhole open within 48 hours. In the monthly review meeting of all ward-level officials of the BMC, Mehta firmly said there should be a close vigil on the condition of manhole covers and the department responsible must ensure no manhole is left open. Also proper co-ordination should be between the hydraulic and storm water and drain department when any manhole cover goes missing to ensure it is replaced in time to avoid any untoward incident is future.

FORMATION OF TVC

After several years of delay the deadlock over the hawkers policy was resolved by taking some important steps in 2017. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) drew a lottery to select eight representatives — from among 12 hawker unions — for its Town Vending Committee (TVC).

The formation of the TVC had been pending due to disagreements over inclusion of hawkers as mandated by the hawking policy. The selection of hawkers’ representatives for the TVC has led to the first move towards resolving the issue. Besides eight representatives of hawkers, the 20member TVC is supposed to have 12 members drawn from NGOs, BMC officials, and citizens. Therefore, they have been invited for same.

In 2014, the BMC received registration forms from 99,435 hawkers. The forms will be scrutinised to shortlist eligible ones and thereafter those pitches which been allowed with residents approval will be allowed for hawking.

KALA GHODA ART GALLERY RESTARTS

In a bid to promote pedestrianonly streets as well as art in the city, the civic body along with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) reintroduced the Kala Ghoda open art gallery every Sunday from November 19, 2017. The gallery remains open from 11am to 9pm only on Sundays.

The site for the weekly exhibition is a 250-metre stretch on Kaikashru Dubash Marg at Kala Ghoda, and will accommodate 21 stalls. The area is cordoned off for vehicles from Saturday afternoon to Sunday night. Through this initiative, the MTDC and the BMC intend to make use of these open spaces as a platform for public participation, which will also include music and dance performances depicting folk, traditional and classical art forms.

SLUM DEMOLITION AT TANSA PIPELINE

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation actively started the demolition of slums along the Tansa pipeline after the Bombay high court order. And not just demolition but also has planned to built city's first longest cycle track which will have cycle stands and also cycle which be hired.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis gave his consent to BMC proposal to build a 39-km-long cycling and jogging track between suburban Mulund and Antop Hill in Wadala. The work for this Rs. 300 crore project will be undertaken in phases and is expected to be opened to the public by 2019. The first step of the project will be the removal of illegal encroachments along the pipeline.

With 40 entry-exit points, the track will connect 19 railway stations, 7 Metro stations, and 4 monorail stations.

However, the BMC corporators from all parties strongly opposed the demolition undertaken and rather demanded proper rehabilitation. As BMC is providing houses at Mahul Village, Chembur which is also considered as gas chamber with oil companies refineries functioning over there are emitting toxic gas.

The corporators have alleged that its affecting the Project Affected People(PAP) badly, also the place is not fit for human beings to live in.