The BMC plans to appoint a consultant for preparing a detailed project peport (DPR) for preventing and diverting raw sewage or sludge in major nullahs that are discharging into creeks or sea. The consultant will also suggest solutions for preventing discharge of untreated sewage into storm water drains instead of sewerage lines. The plan will cover major nullah’s tributaries that ultimately end in sea or creeks. Besides minor nullahs, the BMC has identified 27 major nullahs that are directly discharging in Arabian Sea, Malad creek and the mangroves in Dahisar; 12 nullahs emptying in Thane creek and nine having outfall in Mahul creek and Arabian Sea in island city. The consultant will take help of drones to survey the nullahs, study storm water drains to understand sewage discharge and solid waste dumping points, study current sewage collection and feasibility of internal sewage network inside slum pockets. Along with the survey and DPR, the consultant will also prepare a bid document for further execution of work. In 2017, a survey from the BMC’s sewerage operation department had found that the of 3.48 lakh properties, 76,425 were discharging sewage directly into city’s storm water drain lines that are meant to carry only rainwater. Officials said the sewage discharged in such lines directly flows into sea or creeks. Ideally, sewage should be discharged in dedicated sewerage lines that lead to treatment plants before discharging into sea or creeks. “While the work of laying sewer lines is in progress in entire Mumbai, in many areas, waste water from various localities, especially slums, cannot be captured in the sewers and directly flow in nullahs or drains and later into the Arabian Sea or creeks, causing pollution,” said an official.
