Cheeta Camp in Mankhurd has been grappling with severely clogged nullahs for over a year, leaving residents frustrated and vulnerable. Once active in voluntary clean-up drives, locals ceased participation post-COVID due to financial constraints.
Despite repeated efforts since January to engage civic authorities, progress has been minimal. Dharmesh Barai of the Environment Life Foundation and local activist Asif Sayed have been rallying support to involve officials in sustained clean-up operations. “I’ve been tackling this garbage issue for years, but it’s only since January that we’ve made a concerted effort to involve the authorities,” Sayed said.
An 800-metre stretch of land, previously encroached upon by informal housing and cleared in 2017, still bears the debris. Waste pulled from the nullah is routinely dumped along this path, where it eventually returns to the water.
Local children are at significant risk. Resident Mushtari Bano, who has lived in the area for 22 years, said, “The garbage heap now lies where our houses once stood. Our children play on it, despite repeated warnings. The actual playground is too muddy and unsafe.”
Just 15 to 30 minutes of rainfall results in knee-deep flooding. One resident shared, “We fear stepping out when it rains. Snakes enter the streets and even our homes. The water obscures everything.” Sayed added that children have sustained injuries trying to prevent garbage from sliding back into the nullah.
In another tragic case, children have drowned in a nearby nullah adjacent to a public infrastructure site, where raised walls and garbage conceal dangerous water depths.
Ward M East chief Ujwal Ingole noted efforts to clean the nullahs but highlighted persistent littering. Meanwhile, Sachin More from the Navi Mumbai Mangrove Range confirmed ongoing clean-up efforts, stating, “We began work two days ago and expect to complete it by week’s end.”
Source: Mid-day
