Mumbai: Residents' group shows how to de-clutter your city
In an innovative move to de-clutter the city, a citizen group based in Mumbai's Kandivali has started a campaign to get rid of abandoned cars that remain parked unclaimed, occupying the roads. Aptly naming the campaign 'Operation Khatara', Thakur Village-based Soch Sayani group is preparing a catalogue of such cars. They would present the same to BMC and RTO next week for further action.
Till now, 50 such cars have been enlisted
To prepare an exhaustive list, around 150 residents are scanning the neighborhoods, capturing images of cars having visible number-plate and wheels. They are then uploading the images in a common forum, mentioning the exact location and other details. Till now, they have enlisted 50 such abandoned cars till now. The count is expected to go up as the drive will run into the weekends.
Reasons behind drive: Preventing mosquito breeding and anti-social elements
After submitting the catalogue, claim notices will be pasted on the cars. If nobody comes forward, the cars will be towed away after 15 days, said Lalit Kumar, a group member. Another member, Hema Rao, explains why this drive was undertaken: to discourage potential mosquito breeding grounds and prevent anti-social elements using the cars as their den to smoke, drink or sniff drugs.
Campaign started after abandoned car aggravated water leakage
With a cheeky tagline like 'lawaris ko apni jagah dikhado' ('show the unclaimed their place'), the campaign idea was conceived a month ago, after Harsha Udupi noticed how a water leakage problem was getting aggravated by an abandoned car. It was parked right above the source point of the leakage, so they couldn't do anything and "a lot of water got wasted," Udupi said.
By beautifying broken manhole, they tried to draw BMC's attention
While conducting the drive, members learnt that since people don't know proper disposal methods, they abandon their cars. Through this campaign, they plan to facilitate that. This isn't the first time Soch Sayani group is doing something benefiting the society. Earlier this month, they tried to draw BMC's attention towards manholes by beautifying a broken one. In 2017, they had launched an anti-plastic drive.
