BMC habitually makes tall claims without having any results to show for them
The Aam Aadmi Party today, slammed the Shiv Sena and the BMC for their failure to rejuvenate the Mithi river, despite spending crores on projects for the same. The Mithi river is an essential part of Mumbai’s natural infrastructure, and serves a key role as a natural drain for the city. Unfortunately, it has become a nalla today, having been subjected to excessive encroachment and pollution under the Shiv Sena government. In their 2022-23 BMC budget, the government has allocated 400 crores for the widening/training of the Mithi river, but this is one amongst several such budgetary allocations and initiatives undertaken by the BMC over the past two decades, which are yet to yield any outcomes.
After the 2005 floods in Mumbai, the 2006 Chitale Committee report had clearly directed the government to rejuvenate the river on a war footing. In fact, The MMRDA and BMC had spent over Rs 1,200 crore on the “development” of Mithi river till 2019. The BMC had cleared 569 Crores for Mithi’s rejuvenation in 2020, then tabled a Mithi desilting proposal of 132 Crores in February 2021, and cleared another project for Mithi worth 603 Crores in August 2021. The BMC and the Shiv Sena have already spent crores of public funds, with no results to show for it, and now, the 2022 budget has another 400 crores earmarked for the restoration of the Mithi river.
“Mumbai is governed by a PR sarkar. The BMC habitually makes tall claims and hefty budgetary allocations, but either these projects do not see the light of day because the allocated funds are lost to corruption, or the desired results don’t materialize because of a lack of due oversight. While such initiatives to restore Mumbai’s natural infrastructure are encouraged, we are afraid that this initiative will also be lost to the Shiv Sena’s incompetence, corruption and lack of initiative.” said Preeti Sharma Menon, National Executive Member and Mumbai Prabhari.
