Localities in civic wards A and D have topped the defaulters' list for solid waste management (SWM).
Wards A comprises of localities like Colaba and Churchgate while Ward D includes Grant Road and Malabar Hill. The defaulters list contains the bulk generators of garbage who are not segregating waste and composting the wet waste in their premises. Ward A has a total 91 hotels and restaurants who have been prosecuted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), making it the war with the most number of complaints in South Mumbai. With 17 prosecutions and Rs 35,000 fine collected, Ward D occupies the second position. However, the highest fine amounting to Rs 1.05 lakh has been imposed in Ward L (Kurla and Saki naka area).
Assistant Municipal Commissioner (A ward), Kiran Dighavkar said, "There are 200 bulk generators in total. Of which, 91 have been prosecuted. All these 91 are commercial structures, mostly hotels and restaurants who complain that there is a lack of space for composting. They are also asking the BMC to allot a plot for processing waste which is not possible. We have asked them to find a way out."
"While, D ward has big societies except in the areas of Girgaum and its periphery. The lack of awareness among house maids leads to improper segregation of waste. Also, residents do not take management of garbage as priority. Thus, we take legal action and they pay fines in court," a SWM officer from D ward said.
DEFAULTERS
As of May 4, only 31 per cent of bulk generators have started processing waste. BMC has sent notices to 3232 of which only 1017 bulk generators have complied to the notices. Legal action was taken against 1189 housing societies and commercial structures who have failed to process waste
