07 April,2011 06:36 AM IST | | Basilica Gomes and Rinkita Gurav
BMC contractor allegedly converted 200-metre plot into garbage zone to save cost of transportation
THe nauseating stench emanating from an illegal dumping yard is posing a health hazard to residents near the Malad creek.
And the hazardous environment is courtesy a BMC contractor who allegedly has been dumping chemical waste on the 200-metre plot only to save transportation cost of ferrying the garbage to a BMC dumping yard 12km away.
Mangroves are dying and drying up because of chemicals being dumped in the Malad Creek
The chemical-laced waste is also spelling doom for mangroves and affecting the life span of electronic gadgets containing copper contents.
Malad Mindspace, a posh residential locality that also houses several offices, has seen a spurt in malaria and dengue cases since 2008, when the BMC's solid waste management contractor started dumping garbage there.
The residents of Celestia Heights, Whispering Heights, Quiescent Heights and Serenity Heights have joined hands to protest against the environmental and health hazard caused by the illegal dumping yard.
Residents' woes
Jay Verma, member of the Malad Creek Side ALM, said, "Dead animals, oil and chemicals are dumped into the creek which are polluting the environment as well as affecting our health."
Verma, who is also the secretary of Celestia Heights, added, "We have been requesting the BMC to stop the dumping at the plot.
BMC trucks dump anything and everything on the site, which has become a happy breeding ground for mosquitoes."
Another resident Chitra Jain said, "The main concern is the mangroves which are dying and drying up due to the chemicals being dumped in the creek."
Environmentalist Debi Goenka said the dumping site was not there till 2005. It has come up only recently in the area. "The BMC should intervene and stop the dumping at the earliest," he added.
Rusty gadgets
Interestingly, electronic stores on Malad Linking Road are refusing to offer any warranty on electronic products to their customers living near the dumping yard.
Renita Joy, a resident of Linking Road, who has been living in the area for the past seven years, said, "It may sound strange but electronic equipment stops working within six months of their purchase."
She added that she never experienced any problems with electronic goods when she lived at Madh Island, but after shifting to this place she is facing several problems.
Asked why electronics equipment were getting defunct so fast, an AC dealer at LG (Hypercity), Shakeel Sheikh, said, "Electronic goods should be kept away from moisture.
The emissions from the Malad Creek corrode the copper wires within the electronic products and damages them, leading to their malfunctioning."
The Other Side
Assistant Municipal Commissioner of P North Ward, Vijay Balanwar, said, "We will look into the matter if a complaint regarding the problem has been registered."
He added that the BMC had already fined the contractor Rs 35,000 for dumping garbage there. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board also has no details on the issue.
"The environmental impact on electronic goods has not been reported, and we have no details regarding the emission of any kind of gases from the area," said an official.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kiran Achrekar could not be reached for comments despite several attempts.
Rs 70 lakh
The approximate cost of a 1-BHK flat in buildings close to the creek. 2-BHK flats cost between u00a0 u00a0Rs 80 lakh and Rs 1.2 crore
