After remaining suspended for two weeks in a row, the Versova Residents Volunteers (VRV) will finally resume their beach cleaning activity from this weekend, claiming that they are now satisfied with the arrangements made on ground by BMC.
It was on November 19 that Versova-based lawyer Afroz Shah, who has been spearheading the clean-up drive since October 2015, had tweeted about suspending the clean-up in its 109th week reasoning 'volunteers being abused', 'administrative lethargy' and 'non-clearance of picked-up garbage'.
Speaking to DNA, the 33-year-old Shah said, "We are satisfied with the robust arrangements made. BMC K-West ward officials have already cleared 120 truckloads of garbage from the Versova jetty area that they had not picked up since June, and now hardly five per cent of garbage remains," he said adding that they were also assured of a BMC official's present during the clean-up work.
Personnel from Versova police station have already begun intensive patrolling at the beach.
However, a few activists have said that it would have been ideal for Shah to seek CM Devendra Fadnavis's intervention to ensure that BMC takes the issue of garbage dumped in the rivers of Mumbai seriously. "Maximum garbage at Versova beach comes from rivers like Poisar and Oshiwara. Nothing will be achieved by getting more manpower or machines to clean the beach. Shah needs to also focus on the root cause of this problem," said an activist.
CM PUSH
Last week, both Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had met Afroz Shah and assured him of full support. “Both of them had promised to join us at the clean-up and I have informed them that the work will be done on Saturday and Sunday between 3pm and 5pm, and that we would be more than delighted they join us,” Shah said.
