Mumbai: Two Decades of Mithi River Cleanup Fall Short Despite Major Investments

Mumbai: After the devastating rains in Mumbai on July 26, the neglect of the Mithi River and the price it paid was visible to all. Since then, the clean-up of Mithi has continued unabated for the past two decades. In the meantime, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had taken serious note of the widening and cleaning work of the river. 

Also Read | Man Killed While Crossing Road: Mumbai Bus Body Asked to Pay 15 Lakh Compensation

It should be noted that the works started by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in their respective areas have not been completed 100 percent. When the BMC's budget for 2024-25 was presented to the commissioner recently, it was said that the work was 95 percent complete. Mithi River Development and Conservation Authority (MRDPA), an independent agency in the MMRDA, came into existence on August 19, 2005. A senior officer serves as its head. Still, the work is slow despite of crores of rupees have been spent on it. 

The Public Accounts Committee of the state legislature submitted its report on the CAG report to the legislature on July 26, 2008. The widening and desilting work was also criticized in strong terms. Shiv Sena's Dattaji Nalawade was the chairman of the committee. The committee had Shiv Sena-BJP members from the opposition benches.

River was never cleaned
The debate in the Legislature never ended decisively. Because despite all, 17.8 km. The widening and cleaning of this long river has not been completed.
This work has not been completed 100 percent by Mumbai's two major planning authorities, MMRDA and The Municipal Corporation. Now, if the Special Investigation Team's probe yields some findings are worth looking out for.