MUMBAI, August 11: Just a day before the BMC started removing garbage, Lal Dongar in M west ward was full of filth. In fact, when tenders were invited from private contractors on August 7 to clear the garbage, the lowest bidder demanded a cool Rs 24 lakh.

At Ramabai Nagar, Bhandup, garbage had become a part of the landscape. Located on top of a hill, the area was inaccessible by vehicles. Over 38 women brought the garbage to the base from where it was picked up by lorries. Similar work is being done at other places in S ward like Tanajiwadi, Rawte Compound, Kamble Compound and Tembipada. Certain areas like the Annie Besant road, Marine Drive and Churchgate have already become garbage-free.

Will Mumbai be liberated from garbage on August 15 - the Zero Garbage Day? If the BMC's sudden spurt of industriousness is any indication, for probably the first time after Independence, Mumbaiites may finally see the last of the offensive garbage piles dotting their neighbourhood - even if just for a day.

The cleanliness drive, kicked off on January 1, is gaining momentum in even some of the most inhumanly filthy slums. Ratnakar Gaikwad, Additional Municipal Commissioner, told Express Newsline that in addition to the existing 33,000 workers in the conservancy department, BMC has hired 2,400 more. Many of them are working in two or even three shifts. Thirty JCBs and 200 dumpers have also been pressed into service.

F south ward at Parel and the BPT Road between Sewree and Wadala have virtually been besieged by conservancy workers. They work till 3.30 am and report back on duty at 7 am. And if you still have any doubts about BMC's commitment to the drive, here is a piece of information: this road is not under the BMC's jurisdiction.

Over 300 safai kamgars have been suspended for negligence following surprise raids carried out by Gaikwad and Mayor Vishakha Raut since January 1. Over 60 staffers were suspended in a single raid in the G south ward recently. Strict instructions have been issued to the concerned officers in all wards to ensure that all garbage heaps in their area are cleared by August 12. For inaccessible slums, the deadline has been extended by two days.

Also, since June, when the idea of a garbage-free day was first mooted, the BMC has identified 300 spots across the city where garbage has been piling up for years now. In some areas, like Ambedkar Nagar at Bhandup in S ward, Lal Dongar near the RCF in M west ward, and Kali Dongar at Andheri in K west ward, garbage has not been cleared for the last 10 to 15 years!

Yet, much more needs to be done. Civic officials attribute the slow progress of the drive to a variety of factors, including lack of civic sense and non-cooperative attitude of citizens. The general apathy of its conservancy staff and lack of proper infrastructure are other hurdles.

However, despite these problems, the BMC seems keen on achieving the seemingly impossible goal of keeping Mumbai spotlessly clean on August 15. To ensure that cleanliness levels are maintained in the future, citizens' bodies like Yuvak Mandals, Mahila and Ganeshotsav Mandals have been roped in for the clean-up operations. Shramdaan Yagna have been held at various slums where residents have even cleaned gutters. Municipal Commissioner Girish Gokhale told the general body recently, it took the Surat municipality 20 months to make the city garbage-free and the BMC should not be given a raw deal by expecting miracles overnight. Yet, the civic body's activity which Mumbai is witnessing is unprecedented, in both the city's history and the BMC's.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.