Deonar

{image-Deonar,mumbai_06082008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Have heard the Government being irresponsible, have also heard it being corrupt, but its time that we hear the Government being weird!!! In an attempt to diminish the woes of the residents and the olfactory around Deonar (spread over 120 hectares and one of the largest in the world) and Mulund dumping grounds of Mumbai, the BMC has decided to spray the dumping ground and the surrounding areas with deodrant to shoo away the stink!!

The BMC has ordered 42,000 litres of Sanil Supreme, a herbal deodrant at Rs 60.90 lakh. BMC's Chief Engineer of solid waste management, Abdul Karim said, "The foul smell at the two sites is unbearable. Around 240 litres of deodrant will be sprayed around the dumping grounds to reduce the smell that emanates from the landfills and the repositories of the city's debris".

The above areas were dumped with 2000 metric tonnes of debris from Gorai also which was shut down earlier in January following the residents' protests.

"They are also a breeding ground for pathogens. Earlier, we were fumigating with ordinary chemical but Sanial Supreme will help reduce the smell while controlling the breeding of pathogens. We will use this deodorant for 6-8 months. If the result is good, the order will be increased," he added.

Around 400,000 people live around the two landfills with 50,000 just living on the periphery of the Deonar dumping ground.

"The time has come to shift the dumping site, he told this newspaper", said Faizal Raheman, the Congress corporator from Deonar. Bahadur Sheikh, a resident, welcomed the BMC's decision without a trace of irony. "At least now, we and our children can take in fresh air," he said.