BMC all set to start work on model ward in Mahim

Mumbai: Constant barbs and questions on his efficiency have prompted Ajoy Mehta, commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to moot the idea of a model ward.

The G-North ward has been identified for the same and work on it has been started with the help of the Advanced Locality Management (ALM) groups wherever they exist. The initiatives undertaken under this scheme include clean and pothole-free roads, waste management and dustbin-free ward, better lighting and round-the-clock surveillance through CCTVs, removal of encroachments and better traffic management. According to officials, the MC has given them a month to comply and the model ward is expected to be ready by the end of January next year.

Throwing light on the initiative, Ramakant Birader, ward officer G-North ward, said Mr Mehta had proposed that all wards in the city should be model wards but had identified the G-North ward as the first. “We have pressed into service all the 30 engineers and 300 staff available in our ward to implement the model ward initiative. Apart from that we have also enlisted the help of the ALMs present in different areas to help create awareness about some of the initiatives like garbage segregation and garbage disposal to ensure free of trash roads,” said Mr Birader, adding that work on the model ward begun earlier this week. When asked about the cost, he said that it was being done through the funds allotted to each ward and an estimate could be made only after completion of work. Mr Birader said the model ward would be completed by the end of January.

Bullu Saldanha, head functionary of the ALM G-North Citizen Forum said the BMC officials had held a meeting of various citizen groups in the area and apprised them of the model ward initiative. “The ALMs have been working on garbage segregation and hence have been asked to create awareness of the same among all societies,” said Mr Saldanha.

Farouque Dhala, another resident of Mahim who has also been coordinating with the BMC for clearing garbage, said, “As Mahim has a lot of eateries, a huge amount of garbage is generated and hence there is an increase in number of rodents.”