This is an archive article published on October 26, 2022
For garbage-free Dharavi, BMC to appoint pvt agencies to collect and recycle waste
For the last 10 years, the local civic ward office used to take the help of NGOs and self-help groups for daily waste collection from households.
Written by Pratip Acharya
Mumbai | Updated: November 6, 2022 01:43 PM IST
4 min read
Whatsapp
twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Civic officials said that often the waste material would also remain scattered around the bins, which would affect the hygiene of the place.(Express/Prashant Nadkar/File)
In an attempt to make Dharavi free from solid waste and improve hygiene in the slum cluster, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to segregate and recycle the daily waste generated from this place by appointing expert agencies for professional waste management.
For the last 10 years, the local civic ward office used to take the help of NGOs and self-help groups for daily waste collection from households. Since the slum belt comprises dingy lanes, the BMC dumpers are unable to gain access in most areas in Dharavi. As a result, members from the NGOs would go door-to-door, collect waste from every household and dump it in the open waste containers that are located in the area.
However, civic officials said the responsibility of the NGOs was only to dump the waste in the containers, since they don’t have the logistic or expertise to segregate and recycle or process them. Therefore, most of the waste would remain untreated and get transferred to the dumping ground.
Civic officials said that often the waste material would also remain scattered around the bins, which would affect the hygiene of the place. To bring an end to this issue, the BMC is set to appoint contractors for professional waste management inside Dharavi slums.
“Over the years, the demography of Dharavi has changed. It is no longer a slum pocket. It has become an unorganised commercial hub, due to which the variety of waste it is generating daily has become complex and the NGOs are finding it difficult to manage it. That’s why we have initiated this plan to appoint proper experts for waste management,” Prashant Sapkale, assistant municipal commissioner and in charge of G/North ward, which covers the Dharavi belt, told The Indian Express.
Civic officials said that daily 300 Metric Tonnes (MT) of waste is produced from Dharavi, out of which around 40% is dry waste. These waste products are generated from leather factories, cement factories, potters’ hub (Kumbharwada) and various plastic recycling units inside the slums.
“Each contractor will be given a designated area. They will be collecting the waste from door to door, following which segregation will be done. After the segregation, the wet waste will be further processed through composting and the dry waste product will be recycled. This way, we will be able to bring down the amount of untreated waste that is being sent to the dumping ground regularly and this will enable us to reach the zero-waste target,” said an official from the Solid Waste Management department. The official said the BMC will provide a place for the contractors to set up recycling units.
Story continues below this ad
The BMC has identified 88 spots where garbage is being dumped every day and the first priority will be to make these spots waste-free. The officials also maintained that the BMC is developing a mobile application to enable electronic surveillance on the contractors.
“After clearing waste from the spots, the contractors will have to upload live photos and videos of the location along with GPS coordinates in the app, and this will help us in maintaining a record. Citizens will also be able to raise complaints of waste disposal through the app by sharing photo and location,” the official added. Civic officials said the project is in the tendering stage and contractors will be appointed in the next one month.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
4 min read
