Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has begun its pre-monsoon preparations with May 31 as the deadline.
The garden department has been advised to start with pruning trees, while storm water drains are being cleared. The fire department has been provided with necessary equipment for any eventuality.
“We periodically check and prune trees. However, to ensure that there is no damage to life and property, we have begun work in advance. There are chances of trees being uprooted or their branches ripped off, causing damage to vehicles. Around 25% fully grown trees have been pruned,” said Balchand Gawali, an official from the garden department.
Tushar Pawar, DMC, solid waste management and tree authority, said his team had started checking drains and replacing broken gutter lids. “The storm water drains need to be chock-free to avoid flooding. We will complete our work by May 25.”
DMC officials said of the 75 groups of workers, 60 groups are busy on an open nullah, which will be completed by May 31.
Meanwhile, NMMC Commissioner Ramaswamy N. took a review and directed the departments to complete maximum work by May 25.
The corporation will be announcing a help line for its disaster cell, which will be functional round-the-clock. There will be emergency control rooms in Belapur, Nerul, Vashi, and Airoli. Besides, a departmental control room in 8th division will be set up on May 25.
BMC at halfway mark
In a related development, cleaning of storm water drains in the city started on April 1, while work on minor nullahs began on April 7. The civic body claims to have finished over 48.26% of the work and is looking to finish the work by June.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to share daily the details of work on removing silt, till June 10. The order came a day after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray expressed satisfaction at the work done by the BMC, and said it will be a flood-free monsoon.
“Instructions of the Chief Minister will be followed,” said Ajoy Mehta, Municipal Commissioner.
The data, including that of silt removed in the Mithi river, is expected to be uploaded on the BMC’s website (www.mcgm.gov.in).
Mr. Mehta said he has asked all additional municipal commissioners and deputy municipal commissioners to oversee the work, and that all 24 ward officers have been instructed to visit sites of road repairs and removal of silt on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The work on clearing silt has been the bone of contention between the Sena and the BJP over the past two years with both trying to take credit for a flood-free monsoon and blaming each other for poor monsoon preparedness.
(With bureau inputs)
