TMC is in the habit of dumping debris at Mumbra wetlands and that is not in good taste. The same thing was done when the debris from Mumbai was dumped in Navi Mumbai. Thus, the Ulhas Estuary is a site of destruction and the eco-sensitive zone of Thane Creek is becoming bad to worse. The wetlands matter much during the rainy season and the land will be further flooded with intermittent monsoon rain for four months. The people in Metro and the suburbs are dumping debris, iron rod, mud, stones, plastic bags to cause a major blockage and that may cause blockage and that leads to flash floods in the low lying areas. The waste generated in tonnes by the construction work is causing major concern. The Civil administration has already issued an appeal to avoid dumping of waste and prevent major block in the drainage system in the city. If this dumping is not stopped, we fear that this city will become another clogged and overflowing nullah during incessant rains and water logging in the low lying areas. The preparation already made is not enough and drastic measures will have to be taken before the onset of monsoon. It is time to go all out and see all the arrangements are strictly made in accordance with guidelines to avoid July 2005 situation once again.
Nickil Krishnan
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
