Mumbai: Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has praised the Mumbai civic body for keeping the city clean and suggested hefty fine for beach litterbugs.
Balan on Tuesday attended a special screening of her movie "Mission Mangal" in Dadar which was organised by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi.
Civic officials, employees and their family members attended the screening and also interacted with the actress.
"BMC people are doing a wonderful job to keep Mumbai clean by dedicating their life to serve people. Though we have some challenges and shortcomings still we can become one of the most efficient municipal corporations in the world," said Balan.
"We face a lot of problems, but we won't be as good as we are, without BMC. As a citizen, we need to support the BMC, and we can do it," she said.
Balan appealed to the civic body to levy hefty fine on those who litter beaches in Mumbai. "Mumbai is the heartbeat of the country. Litterbugs should realise what they are doing," she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Pardeshi sought to draw a parallel between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the BMC, the country's richest municipal corporation.
"If ISRO can complete Mission Mangal project in tight budget, then why can't we complete the mission (to provide all amenities and services) in abundant budget?" he asked.
Starring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan, "Mission Mangal" is based on stupendous efforts by ISRO scientists behind the 2013 launch of the country's maiden inter-planetary expedition, Mars Orbiter Mission.
Leader of the House in BMC, Vishakha Raut, stressed the need to launch "Mission Mumbai". "I think, we need to launch the Mission Mumbai to make the city free of potholes, ensure 24x7 water supply and provide better health services and quality education to all of us," she said.
BMC employees welcomed the special screening initiative.
