A couple who hoped to enjoy a home by the sea found it lined with filth, and have cleared 500 tonnes of waste over 35 weekends

In 2017, when Indranil Sengupta and Rabia Tewari shifted to a sea facing house in Mahim, they had hoped the view and morning walks by the sea would add a touch of tranquillity to their busy lives. To their dismay, the sea shore was piled with garbage, as high as four to five feet.

Calls made to the BMC helpline were futile. Hoping that the contractor appointed by the civic body would clean up seemed more like a dream. That’s when the couple decided to take charge. Not that they knew much about cleaning beaches — he is a former Viacom18 associate vice president and business head, she a merchandiser who moved here in 2011 after 12 years in New York. Mr. Sengupta, who came to Mumbai as a 18-year-old, now runs his own design firm, where his wife is business head.

Armed with gloves, they began cleaning the stretch from Mahim Dargah Lane to Hinduja Hospital every weekend between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Now in the 35th week of the Mahim Beach Clean-up, they often get help from a handful of volunteers. Together, they’ve collected nearly 500 tonnes of garbage, most of it buried deep in the sand. They tell The Hindu that much remains to be done, but the progress is motivating.

Do locals participate?

Mr Sengupta: The first weekend when we started, two volunteers from our building joined us. The next weekend, a few people from the nearby Koli village joined. So, from about four to five volunteers in the beginning, the number increased to nearly 20, and went back to five-odd again. We have a WhatsApp group and a Facebook page, where we update on the drive. We also reach out to nearby schools and colleges.

We’re waiting for the day when people start coming out on their own, considering this as a responsibility. We get volunteers from as far away as Borivali, Thane and Dharavi, but the lowest traction is from locals. Some volunteers expect immediate results, others suggest getting celebrities on board. Why should you need a celebrity to wake up to the fact that the beach needs a clean-up? Fortunately, we’ve never been alone; there have always been volunteers or BMC workers to help us.

Does the BMC take beach cleaning seriously?

Ms. Tewari: The BMC has hired one contractor for the entire stretch of beach from Mahim to Prabhadevi. The contractor has 16 to 19 people and one excavator for such a large area. But we have never seen these people at work. We spotted four to five of them cleaning up the stretch we’ve been working on; the other parts are ignored. The garbage there piles up and goes back into the sea with the tide, or is stuck in the sand. At times, the BMC truck arrives during high tide, and the heap of garbage cannot be cleared. So, again, it all goes back into the sea. The lethargic response, inefficiency and lack of accountability [on BMC’s part] is frustrating. The is no micromanagement or regular checks.

Mr. Sengupta: The stretch near Chaityabhoomi and the Mayor’s Bungalow are like VIP beaches. The beach near Hinduja Hospital also gets some attention. Most of the cleaning happens in these areas. Over the weeks, I’ve realised that if we want the rest of the beach to be clean, we’ll have to spend every weekend cleaning it. If we skip a day, everything goes back to square one.

Ms. Tewari: The problem is also that they are understaffed, and there’s too much garbage to clean. When you create a buzz on Twitter and tag some important people, some work gets done, but that’s not something one should have to do every weekend.

Is the BMC providing the mesh near the Mithi river you’ve been requesting?

Mr. Sengupta: Once we started working on the ground, we realised the Mithi river, which has become a nullah, releases all the garbage into the sea at Mahim, which is the first outlet for the river. We’ve been pushing civic officials for a net or a filtration system to reduce garbage entering the sea. At first, we were told the net would be put in a year; we’re still waiting.

How has the stretch you clean changed?

Mr. Sengupta: There is visible difference from the first week itself, but this can be sustained only if bigger steps are taken. At times, we see people from the Koli village throwing garbage, defecating and swimming — all in the same water. We distributed dustbins in the village, but much needs to be done.

Ms. Tewari: BMC workers don’t stop people littering or defecating in the open. It’s their job to warn them against doing so. After 34 weeks, we see some change: there’s definitely less spillage on our stretch. But the biggest challenge is to change mindsets. Some people say beach cleaning is a waste of time. It’s definitely a frustrating journey, but we’re addressing the issue and keeping it alive. Considering the sad state of our environment, I feel everyone needs to contribute to make a positive impact; may not be beach cleaning. but anything that can help makes a difference.