The Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) is ready to begin the plantation of grass on barren patches in Shivaji Park subsequent month. The transfer comes after a current slew of preventive measures introduced by the Maharashtra Air pollution Management Board (MPCB) to curb mud displacement.
“The first goal is to extend the inexperienced patches on the bottom by planting grass over the barren land. The plantation drive could begin subsequent month, as we’re getting ready a proposal and sending it to the setting division for ultimate approval. Following this, tenders will likely be floated,” a civic official mentioned.
Situated in Dadar at Central Mumbai, Shivaji Park is a 28-acre open floor that’s thronged by sports activities fans, night and morning walkers, and vacationers usually. The park can be a most well-liked location for a lot of politicians for holding their political rallies for its location being within the coronary heart of the town.
Nonetheless, the topography of this floor is in a barren situation at present, and the grass on the floor has withered away with time. Because of this, the highest soil of the bottom contains free purple soil, which will get displaced simply, resulting in mud air pollution within the locality. Over the previous two years, native residents have raised a number of complaints with the civic authorities in connection to this purple mud problem.
The greening actions will likely be undertaken in patches, on condition that the bottom has to stay open for every day actions, a BMC official mentioned. They mentioned that the civic physique is eyeing completion of the greening actions throughout a considerable portion of the bottom earlier than monsoon, including that if the method bears beneficial outcomes, it will likely be continued. Nonetheless, if it doesn’t work, a brand new various will likely be chalked out.
The plantation course of will solely embrace indigenous seedlings of grasses, which may also be talked about within the proposal submitted to the setting division, the official mentioned.
Aside from the greening actions, the BMC may also appoint an company, which will likely be accountable for sustaining the inexperienced cowl of the backyard for no less than a 12 months, the civic official knowledgeable. “Since grasses are being planted, it’s necessary to nominate a contractor who could be answerable for sustaining the area, or else there will likely be an overgrowth of the herbs. Additionally, contemplating the soil kind is barren, one wants to keep up it usually to make sure the floor doesn’t get withered away,” the official added.
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Nonetheless, BMC officers mentioned that there isn’t a company or contractor answerable for the upkeep of the park at current.
The MPCB had, within the first week of January, given civic authorities a 15-day timeline to provide you with a potential answer to mitigate the problem of mud air pollution on the floor. Following this, a panel of specialists made a website go to to the bottom, and submitted a report back to the air pollution board in addition to the civic authorities, itemizing out preventive measures.
Aside from saying directives to stop mud displacement, the state air pollution board had additionally mooted a proposal earlier than the BMC for organising a mini Sewage Remedy Plant (STP) on the floor, which would offer non-potable water that may very well be used for the upkeep works.
“There are a number of borewells within the floor whose water is used for sprinkling on the bottom. Nonetheless, now this water has began to turn into saline as sea water has began getting into. Subsequently, now we have mooted the proposal of organising a mini STP that may draw water from any close by sewage line and use it for upkeep,” MPCB Chairperson Siddhesh Kadam had mentioned earlier.
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“At current, our focus is to extend the inexperienced cowl of the bottom to stop mud displacement. As soon as this goal is achieved the work of making an STP could also be taken within the subsequent step,” civic officers mentioned.
