This Diwali, sweep up remains of fireworks and dump them in dustbins that are close at hand before you leave for home



Promenades likes Marine Drive, Carter Road and Juhu are popular spots for revellers with fireworks to gather. File Pic

The BMC is determined to instill civic sense in those who drive in to the city's popular sea faces and promenades with car loads of fire crackers to burst, leaving behind mounds of garbage.

This year, you will be expected to sweep up the remains and dump them in dustbins that are close at hand before you leave for home. Not doing so will allow clean-up marshalls to fine you between Rs 150 and Rs 300. The teams are expected to patrol popular stretches starting tonight.

Vijay Balamwar, deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management), said, the civic body doesn’t intend to play party pooper and sour Mumbai’s Diwali, and so, it’s only unruly large groups that come with huge quantities of crackers who will be expected to pay up. “The aim is to discourage people from littering at public places. Citizens should celebrate festivals, but while doing so, they cannot forget their civic responsibility,” he said.

Those caught bursting crackers beyond the 10 pm deadline will be booked by the police, he added.

The BMC’s decision has received a mixed response. While Marine Drive residents have welcomed the move, noise and environment activists termed the idea counter-productive.

Sumaira Abdulali, founder of NGO Awaaz, said, “People may get discouraged and end up bursting crackers within their residential complexes and compounds, making things worse and dangerous on the noise and air pollution front. I’d advise the BMC to encourage Mumbaikars to gather at large open spaces like MMRDA grounds, where crackers can be lit up safely.”