Lawyer Afroz Shah (in black) cleaning

Versova

beach

Versova beach on Tuesday

MUMBAI: Two days after the spearhead of the Versova beach clean-up movement, lawyer Afroz Shah posted a tweet declaring his intention to suspend the drive thanks to heckling by some anti-social elements, support poured in from all quarters. Union urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Suri told Shah on Tuesday not to give up and continue the battle.Social media too erupted in his support with actors Dia Mirza, Randeep Hooda, environmentalist Bittu Sehgal and Congress leader Gurudas Kamat asking the BMC to get its act together.On Sunday, after completing 109 weeks of clean-up, Shah, a resident of the sea-lined neighbourhood, tweeted that the world’s largest beach clean-up “is suspended”. Suri, who is in-charge of Swachh Bharat, took up the issue with the chief minister’s office and within hours on Tuesday, the civic machinery arrived at the beach to remove heaps of garbage lying uncollected for five months.After two years of sacrificing every weekend to clean the beach, a despondent Shah said, “Administrative lethargy, non-clearance of picked-up garbage and abuses is what we are facing... Tried my best and I failed.” Versova resident Amir Keshwani , one of the volunteers , was abused as were the contractor and his workers who drive tractors that help with the clean-up. “They came after the drivers with a stick and asked them to stay away from the beach,” said Shah.Suri tweeted on Tuesday, “Deeply concerned about attack on Shah and his volunteers by criminal elements. Took this up with Maharashtra CMO. Was assured that instructions were already issued to municipal and police authorities to give all help. This service to the nation must go on.” Local MLA Bharati Lavekar rushed to the beach on Sunday and apologised to Shah and the volunteers. She said she has “instructed all BMC officers to clear the garbage piles within three days and send dumpers”.On Tuesday, Shah met the Versova senior inspector, who asked his men to be there on weekends to ensure volunteers are not deterred or troubled by anti-socials.“I feel I failed because I was unable to change mindset of people towards volunteers who are doing selfless public service. I would also want to ensure that every weekend, two dumpers remove the garbage picked up by the volunteers,” Shah told TOI.Yogiraj Dhabadkar, Lokhandwala corporator and chairperson of K-West ward Prabhat Committee , said “At a meeting on Tuesday, we instructed BMC to provide dumpers and a JCB machine every weekend.’’ A band of volunteers are already prepping to be on the beach as usual on Saturday, to make sure that a few people do not defeat the movement.