A day after Versova-based lawyer Afroz Shah announced that Versova beach clean-up was suspended, and took to social media criticising the ‘administrative lethargy’ blaming BMC for not clearing the garbage collected through the drive, the civic body has decided to clear it in the next three days.
On Sunday, which was the 109th week of the Versova beach clean-up, some locals from Versova jetty began abusing and even asking Shah and his team of volunteers to stop the cleaning work and blamed them for all the garbage that was collected.
Volunteers say that BMC had stopped picking up the garbage that people were clearing from the beach. “All the garbage and plastic waste cleared from the beach were collected and kept at a designated spot near Versova jetty from where BMC used to take it. However, they suddenly stopped and the quantity of garbage kept growing in size,” informed Naresh Suri, an actor, as well as part of the clean-up initiative.
Speaking to DNA, Versova MLA Dr Bharati Lavekar said that she held a meeting with BMC K/West ward officials and the issue has now been resolved. “Assistant Municipal Commissioner Prashant Gaikwad has promised that the entire garbage will be cleared in the next three days. Some officials claimed that the garbage had huge quantity of sand stuck on it and it needed to be cleaned by volunteers and we explained them that it was done,” she said.
