Thackerays brush up cleanliness drive

Though, this time he is being helped by his nephew Raj. Between the two of them they have drawn five sketches which paint those with poor civic sense in ridiculous colours.

The Marine Drive Citizens Association and Siddha Samaj Yoga (SSY), which are helping the foundation implement the Clean Churchgate Area project, have also pitched in with new ideas to make the drive more effective. Cloth bags are being distributed to the residents of the A, B, C and D lanes to collect the recyclable refuse. Hawkers are being persuaded to maintain clean vessels and cleaner dustbins. Refuse collectors, most of them SSY volunteers, have been given overalls marked `Arogya Bahini’. And Disposable cups and dishes are being provided to fast-food hawkers.

The bosswoman of CMF, Kunti Oza says: “Customers at these joints will face the huge posters put up across Churchgate station when they eat.”

Oza, in a way, is also responsible for drawing the Thackerays into the campaign. She had approached Bal Thackeray with five of her sketches for a concessional display in Saamna. Thackeray, however, did not approve of the quality of sketches and apparently sought her permission to re-do them.

Meanwhile, at a meeting at the Indian Merchants Chambers today, the CMF, in the presence of Sheriff Kiran Kher, unveiled its grandiose plans for Churchgate. “Every day when you see a stream of people coming into the city, you feel the central business district is terribly short of basic amenities for them,” the sheriff said.

Taking a cue from her, the additional municipal commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad, said the BMC had already approved a plan to construct a urinal outside the station. Gaikwad, however added that it was a “difficult” task to keep Mumbai clean, what with 55 to 60 per cent of the city being occupied by slums. “We have now adopted 176 slums through our health posts in the city and are working with them for spreading awareness about cleanliness and hygiene. But we realise that it is an extremely difficult task,” he said.Asked about the failure of the anti-spitting campaign at Churchgate, Oza said: “Our volunteers feel inhibited to stop people and fine them. The BMC has now agreed to give them identification badges…this may infuse some confidence in them,” she added.