The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), though, had started the nullah-cleaning work in April and claims to have completed it, residents say that the civic body has not done an in-depth job of cleaning the nullahs.
A quick status check by the HT team at prominent flooding and low-lying spots shows that while several nullahs are only cleaned from outside, garbage and plastic waste continue to float on them. There are some parts of the city where nullah-cleaning work is still going on despite the onset of the pre-monsoon showers in Thane.
TMC had started the pre-monsoon nullah cleaning work by mid-April. Thane commissioner, Vipin Sharma, had also completed a survey of the cleaning done in areas like Vartak Nagar, Wagale Estate and Kasarvadavli.
“As part of our monsoon preparations, we have completed the nullah-cleaning work across the city. However, there continue to be miscreants who dump garbage and debris in these nullahs. We have ensured that the boundary walls in most of these places are built properly to ensure less incidents of littering takes place,” said a senior officer from TMC.
Residents continue to be unhappy with the TMC’s efforts as nullahs in low-lying or waterlogging-prone areas of Samta Nagar, Rutu Park and Indira Nagar continue to be blocked with filth and sludge as well.
“Undertaking this task of cleaning and maintaining nullahs should ideally be done every three months. This will not only help maintain it thoroughly but littering would also reduce. Doing it once a year is not as fruitful and the situation goes back to normal within a few days of cleaning,” said Ujjwal Mishra, 57, a resident of Rutu Park.
At Indira Nagar in Wagle Estate, the nullah-cleaning work is in progress with only one side of it cleaned till now. “Although the work is not completed, we are happy that unlike previous years, the work was started well in advance and, moreover, the silt and sludge that are usually kept outside the nullahs on the roads are is also cleared well in time,” said Rehan Qureshi, 36, a resident of Wagle Estate.