Mumbai: After multiple unsuccessful attempts to stop waste dumping in nullahs, the BMC has launched a citizen awareness and cleanliness drive. A special campaign will be conducted from September 29 to October 13 across the city and suburbs to remove floating waste from nullahs. The key objective is to collect and properly dispose of debris with the active participation of citizens.
Systematic Cleaning Operations
As part of its special cleanliness drive, the BMC will carry out systematic cleaning of major nullahs (excluding mangrove areas), surrounding areas, and open drains across all civic wards. The operation, running daily from 11 AM to 1 PM, will involve staff from the Solid Waste Management (SWM) and Storm Water Drain department (SWD) voluntary workers, and citizen participation.
Engineers will identify priority nullahs, with teams focusing on removal and disposal of floating waste. The drive will deploy mechanised equipment such as dumpers, JCBs, water tankers, and Firex tools to ensure efficient execution.
Activities During the Drive
During this drive ctivities such as clearing vegetation, removing discarded items, waste collection, and thorough washing of the surrounding areas will be carried out. Floating waste extracted from the nullahs by the SWD Department will be handed over to the SWM Department for proper disposal.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini Joshi stated, "Garbage dumped by citizens into various small and large nullahs across Mumbai is a key cause of waterlogging. Despite regular cleaning efforts, illegal dumping continues to choke the drains."
She appealed to residents to refrain from throwing waste into nullahs and instead use designated bins. “Proper disposal of waste will prevent clogging, ensure smooth water flow, and reduce the risk of flooding,” she emphasised.
Measures To Curb Nullah Dumping
Over the years, the civic body has introduced several measures to curb dumping in nullahs—such as placing dustbins along drains, covering them with nets, running awareness campaigns, appointing clean-up marshals, and imposing fines on violators.
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Clogged drains—mainly due to plastic bags—were among the key contributors to the catastrophic 26/7 floods in 2005, which claimed over 1,000 lives. Mumbai currently has 309 major nullahs and 1,508 minor nullahs across the city.
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