After years of delay, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is finally a step closer to rejuvenating the Dahisar and Poisar rivers, even as the rejuvenation of the Mithi river remains a distant dream. The BMC has invited initial bids for the rejuvenation of the Dahisar and Poisar rivers.
The city has four important rivers: Mithi, Dahisar, Poisar and Oshiwara. After the 2005 deluge, the need to rejuvenate all rivers was felt once again.
The State government had constituted a special Mithi River Development and Protection Authority for the job, but a large amount of work still remains to be done. This includes removal of encroachment around the riverbank.
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Meanwhile, the civic body has been trying to push for rejuvenation of the other rivers and there have been a few clean-up drives there. The Dahisar and Poisar rivers originate in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A comprehensive rejuvenation of these rivers would include checking sewage that enters the rivers untreated, diverting it to sewage treatment plants (STPs), and then channelling the treated water back into the rivers.
The BMC recently invited bids for constructing new underground sewers along the Poisar river. It also invited bids for construction of STPs along the Dahisar river and is hoping to start work in October. The major sources of pollution include discharge of sewage, washing of cattle and vehicles, and dumping of garbage from adjoining slums.
For the Poisar river, the BMC will work along 17 km of its bank to set up sewer lines at a cost of ₹45.28 crore. It plans to construct nine STPs. The civic body will also cover the Abhishek nullah from the Juhu-Versova Link Road culvert to N.Datta Road in Andheri, at a cost of ₹1.41 crore, to keep a check on sewage entering the river.
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The Dahisar river, on the other hand, will have three STPs with a capacity to treat 0.5 million litres per day (MLD) at Kulupwadi Nullah in Borivali, 1 MLD near SBI Colony in Borivali, and 5 MLD at Sanjay Nagar.
“Much work related to laying sewers along the Dahisar river is done. Now, constructing the STPs will be a big step. We also hope to start work on the Oshiwara river soon,” an officer from the BMC’s storm water drains department said.
The BMC also has a separate plan for the Mithi river, which is called Mithi River Water Quality Improvement Programme, and has set aside around ₹600 crore for the job.