The Residents Association of Vile Parle (West) and volunteers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have warned of launching a protest if the “garbage” dumped near their housing societies was not removed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) immediately. Even as the residents say that the BMC was dumping garbage in their localities, the civic body asserts that it was ‘nirmalya’ (religious organic refuse) and not garbage, which is being dumped there, which is planned to be turned into manure.
The locals say that the garbage was being dumped in an open ground in a residential area adjoining the LIC office on S V Road. “We have already lodged an official complaint with the civic officials concerned on September 25. However, to the disappointment of the residents, BMC continued to dump garbage even the next day,” Bhushan, a resident of the locality, said.
AAP leader Mayank Gandhi said, “It is obvious that the correct procedure is not being followed in this case as garbage dumping is to be carried out in non-residential areas. The garbage has resulted in foul odour in the area and has caused significant inconvenience to the residents.”
“It is unbelievable that while the entire country is stressing on the Swachh Bharat initiative, BMC is making Mumbai aswachh (unclean)! The action of BMC, especially when the fear of dengue is lurking in Mumbai is impossible to justify,” he added.
Gandhi has also warned civic officials that if garbage is not removed within three days, he would hold a protest March at BMC ward office with his volunteers and local residents. However, terming the residents’ allegations as “baseless and unwise”, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of K West ward Parag Masoorkar said, “Residents are creating nuisance and not allowing our officers to turn Nirmalya (Ganpati wastage) into manure which will take only 15 to 20 days and finally this manure would be given to their own societies.”
“Surprisingly, few residents misbehaved with our staff during the course and we have lodged a complaint against them in a local police station,” Masoorkar added.
However, residents have alleged that BMC ground was given to a private contractor to create manure from the garbage.
