The BMC has claimed that it has achieved its desilting targets a week before the May 31 deadline. The municipality has removed 9,81,506 metric tonnes (MT) of silt from nullahs and rivers in Mumbai, according to officials. Every year, the civic body’s Storm Water Drainage Department undertakes desilting work before the arrival of the monsoon to ensure there is no flooding or waterlogging during the rainy season.
Engineers study how much silt needs to be lifted from nullahs and rivers and decide the target. This year the BMC set itself a target of 9,79, 882MT, to be achieved by May 31.
BMC chief directed officials to provide additional workforce
BMC Commissioner Dr Iqbal Singh Chahal had directed officials to provide additional workforce if needed and to finish all the desilting work within time. The desilting work will continue even though the target has been achieved, the officials said.
BMC's stringent clauses
The BMC inserted stringent clauses in desilting tenders this year. The contractors were asked to upload photos and video clips of the sites, with geotagging. They were also asked to produce photos of ongoing work, empty trucks being filled up, and emptying of trucks at dumping grounds.
The civic body said that as of May 25, contractors have uploaded more than 1,54,500 photographs and 72,300 videos on its website.
The BMC has also installed CCTVs at the site of the dumping grounds and appealed to Mumbaikars not to throw rubbish in nullahs.
