MUMBAI: Weeks after municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide began her weekly early morning inspections to review Mumbai’s solid waste management and cleanliness situation, the BMC has identified 162 garbage hotspots and garbage vulnerable points (GVPs) across the city where open dumping is being repeatedly reported.
Civic officials said these locations were identified over the past few weeks during inspections and through citizen feedback. “We are working towards giving targets to each administrative ward, and the same will be reviewed by the municipal commissioner on what efforts are being made to clear it,” said an official. Cautioning that visible garbage directly impacts public perception, the municipal commissioner had said such lapses are seen as a failure of ward-level administration.
Many of these spots aren’t serviced by community bin facilities, and residents have allegedly been dumping waste in the open instead of designated collection points. The BMC has now directed ward offices where these hotspots are located to clear the sites and ensure they do not re-emerge. Ward officials have also been asked to sensitise residents and make proper arrangements for regular garbage lifting from these areas. On two occasions over the past month, Bhide, accompanied by civic officials, inspected multiple stretches and solid waste management chowkis, where she found visible garbage and construction and demolition (C&D) waste along roadsides.