BMC plans red soil topping at four playgrounds in Matunga, Wadala and Sion

Amid opposition from Dadar residents to the use of red soil at Shivaji Park the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporationrsquos BMC gardens department has decided to lay the same material in at least four more playgrounds in Matunga Wadala and Sion which fall under the F North wardThe decision has been taken in a bid to soften the ground now hardened due to lack of rain in the wake of monsoon withdrawal making it easier for children and residents to use these facilities Red soil with waterretention property has the capacity to soften surfaces according to the civic bodyAn official from the gardens department in F North ward said ldquoThe top layer of soil has hardened at each of these playgrounds Since red soil is known to make surfaces softer we have decided to lay it over these playgrounds This topping will occur at select spots where the soil has hardened considerably making it difficult for children to play and potentially harming themrdquoSeeing redThose residing around Shivaji Park have spoken out against the BMCrsquos decision where 80 truckloads of red soil were laid at Shivaji Park in 20192021 The residents have blamed the red soil for frequent dust storms leading to respiratory problems for locals and other problems Following residents complaints to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB the BMC was directed to remove the red soil from Shivaji Park to reduce dust pollutionExpert opinionShedding light on the composition of red soil Sandeep Thakur an earth expert who has worked with the Geological Survey of India said ldquoRed soil retains considerably more water than black soil lending it the property of softness It also turns loose without water or moisture During the dry season this can lead to dust stormsrdquoAnother expert requesting not to be named told midday ldquoShivaji Park is a huge open space so the problems are very different in this area Wind plays a big role in creating dust storms from red soil If we are to compare the composition of red soil with sandy soil sand allows water to percolate easily and it is also soft This can in principle lead to a reduction in impactrelated injuries mdash such as from sports activitiesrdquoResidents speakAshish Savardekar a senior athlete who has been practising at Shivaji Park for several years said ldquoRed soil becomes very mushy immediately after it rains This makes it very difficult to walk on the ground let alone play or exercise Often athletes feet get stuck we slip and our shoes carry the soil into adjoining areas including footpaths and gymkhanas leaving a trail of mud in our wakerdquoNehal Shah a Matunga resident and former corporator said ldquoRed soil is soft and retains water very easily So in case of the four playgrounds where red soil is being laid we have only one contention mdash lay pipelines to ensure the surfaces are frequently watered so dust storms do not occur in the dry season The BMC has not yet done that Without a plan to water the ground daily the laying of red soil at any playground can lead to pollution and dust stormsrdquoBMCs statementA senior official from the gardens department said ldquoThe issue at Shivaji Park is unique because of the size of the park Each of the four playgrounds at F North ward is hardly 2000 sq m in area In such small spaces maintenance is relatively easy and we will be able to tackle to problem of dust storms if they ariserdquoLocation of four gardensgtgt Near Nappu Hall Telang Road Matungagtgt Sahakar Nagar Wadalagtgt Anant Narayan Dalvi playground opposite Sion bus depotgtgt Vasanji Park Dastoorwadi Naigaon Dadar East