Thane:
Activists and Mumbra
residents have lashed out at the Thane Municipal Corpration (TMC)’s for its apparent failure to deploy adequate manpower in
Mumbra to spot and penalize litterbugs. Activists have raised questions over the TMC’s cleanliness report which had hinted at Mumbra being the
cleanest area during a drive carried out in January.
The first month review report submitted by the cleanliness marshals had shockingly showed less litterbugs in Mumbra as compared to that of Naupada and other areas.
While Naupada was termed as the filthiest ward with nearly 3,668 cases registered, Mumbra emerged as the cleanest zone with just 640 litterbugs penalized.
Officials from the civic body have said that the report gave and idea about undertaking necessary cleanliness measures in respective areas.
However, activists and politicians have alleged that the administration is giving step-motherly treatment to Mumbra by not taking appropriate measures to ensure cleanliness.
Locals have asked for better policing by the marshals so that they could keep litterbugs at bay and make the suburb clean.
“The municipal administration doesn’t seem to be looking beyond Ghodbunder Road. The sanitation department seems to have become a hotbed of corruption. Why is the department neglecting basic cleanliness issues in areas like Mumbra and are providing facilities only to the rich?” questioned NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad who represents the area in the state.
“The corporation seems to be least bothered about our suburb. There is already so much filth lying unattended here. Stepping up policing could help dissuade litterbugs in the are and make the place a much cleaner place in the truest sense,” said a resident.
Meanwhile, the municipal administration has admitted that the number of cleanliness marshals deployed in Mumbra was less and has assured to evenly deploy marshals across all wards.
“The number of litterbugs in Naupada could have been higher than that of Mumbra because of the unequal distribution of marshals. We will now ensure allocation of equal number of marshals in all wards,” said a senior official from the sanitation department.
Nearly 245 marshals have been inducted to keep a tab on litterbugs cross the city. However, most of them preferred to operate in and around Naupada area that houses the railway station, market area and business centre.
The marshals collectively recovered a penalty of Rs 11 lakh from nearly 5,000 citizens found dirtying the roads or their respective areas.
