Latest news with #PamelaCheema
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Mumbai civic body rolls out Rs 71cr Powai Lake clean-up tender work
Mumbai: Mumbai: Following repeated demands from concerned citizens and environmentalists, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allotted the civil work on diverting the sewer water flow from Powai Lake and floated a tender for setting up a treatment plant near the site at a cost of over Rs 71 crore. Members of the BMC-appointed Advanced Locality Management Committee and NatConnect Foundation launched a joint campaign focusing attention on the deterioration of Powai Lake due to the direct inflow of untreated waste of 18 million litres a day. "The BMC officials have now met the Powai residents and informed us that the tender process of diverting the sewer line has been launched. This is good news for the lake,"said Pamela Cheema of the Save Powai Lake group. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Of late, crocodiles were spotted on the banks of the lake, prompting the environment lovers to raise concern over their safety, Cheema said. The lake, with abundant biodiversity has been covered with hyacinth, which the BMC failed to check despite a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, following which the public awareness campaign was launched addressing the chief minister and BMC commissioner. "We are happy that commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has directed his team led by additional commissioner Abhijit Bangar, and the process of tender work to divert the sewer away from the lake has started," said NatConnect director B N Kumar. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure your family's future! ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo The work on laying sewer pipelines was allotted to Swastik Constructions following an e-tender, papers given to ALM members at a meeting at S Ward on Friday. Stating that better late than never, ALM Chairperson Pamela Cheema remarked that the people of Powai are anxiously awaiting the speedy execution of the lake clean-up. The work is slated to start on July 21 with an 18-month deadline. In a related development, the civic body floated an e-tender for Rs 68.88 crore STP at Powai. The bids were to be opened on June 30, and details are awaited, said Milan Bhatt, an ALM member. BMC, meanwhile, commissioned harvester machines to clear the hyacinth following public pressure. But this measure proved to be grossly inadequate as the vegetation grew rapidly due to the continuous draining of sewer, NatConnect said. The end-to-end hyacinth sheet over the lake prevents the sun rays from penetrating the lake, thus badly impacting aquatic life. Meanwhile, NatConnect has taken up the dire state of Powai Lake with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), which in turn asked the state environment director to take necessary action.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Save Powai Lake' human chain plan off over BMC fee
Mumbai: A silent "Save Powai Lake" human chain scheduled for Sunday by local residents and nature lovers was cancelled after the BMC demanded a nominal "event fee" of Rs 11,000 to organise it at the lakeside. Green activists alleged they tried in vain to explain to civic officials that this was not an event but a public expression of concern to save the lake from pollution and floating weeds such as hyacinths. The human chain was planned for Sunday, June 8, to focus on the need to conserve Powai Lake as part of Mumbai region's biodiversity, said the activists. "For about a week the BMC was making us go round in circles for a simple no-objection certificate for the human chain after we obtained the police nod," said Pamela Cheema, chairperson of the advanced locality management committee (ALMC). Police suggested that the organisers seek the BMC's approval as well. Cheema said, "Despite the police forwarding them our request and we ourselves presenting the BMC's S ward office our request, the officials were searching for the documents till Friday." The BMC insisted on payment of "a nominal fee of Rs 11,000" for using the Powai Lake premises, she said. BMC's sub-engineer from S ward, Veer Alankar, said he sent the circular and the fee payable to Cheema since it is an event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "We are not holding a concert or any cultural event," Cheema said. Calling the BMC event fee for the human chain as unprecedented, NatConnect director B N Kumar said, "It amounts to scuttling the democratic rights of environmentalists to freedom of speech. The Constitution of India guarantees the right to a clean environment." Kumar further said they will regroup and discuss the future course to save the lake. In the past two weeks, though, following the local citizens' appeal to save the lake, the BMC has started mechanically removing the water hyacinths from the lake's surface. The process is still on at the lake site by using machines to cut and remove the hyacinths. Local resident and photographer Mukesh Trivedi said, "Perhaps the senior civic officials could have waived off the 'event fee' because none of us were going to form the human chain for any commercial gain." "As much as we have passionately worked towards this cause, we are being forced to not go ahead with it due to bureaucratic hurdles," said Milan Bhat, one of the organisers. "It has been a sad day for our environment, but we haven't lost hope. We will come back stronger," she said.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Toxic PoP waste lying around Powai lake for over two years
More than 60 tonnes of PoP (Plaster of Paris) 'harmful' waste has been lying along the circumference of Powai lake, and it has not been removed for more than two years, a city environmental group, Vanashakti, has pointed out. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now People associated with the group expressed the feeling that the authorities may have forgotten about the mounds of waste which is harming the water body besides polluting the water, This has been brought to the attention of the senior BMC officials for urgent action, said members of the environmental group. The #SavePowaiLake citizens' movement has been gathering momentum and BMC has announced that it will set up a sewage treatment plant at the lake. 'At least three mounds of plaster of paris (PoP) remnants removed from the lake after idol immersion have been left along the lake boundaries for almost two years. Close to 60 or 80 tonnes of PoP idol waste is lying in the open inside the lake. Two monsoons have passed and the waste continues to remain uncleared by BMC. Almost 2 metres or more of the lake bed area near the steps is also saturated with PoP waste. This waste, along with chemicals and paints in it, will continue to leach into the lake and pollute the waterbody,' said activist D Stalin of Vanashakti. A senior official from BMC said that, at present, they have deployed machines to cut through the water hyacinth weeds from the lake, and other cleanliness measures will also be taken up to improve the water quality of Powai lake. He added that the civic hydraulic engineering department has also been pressed into service for this purpose. 'It's been many years since local residents and green activists have been urging the municipality and the state authorities to clean up our Powai lake. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hopefully, this time around our citizens' movement should effectively help in saving the water body,' said Pamela Cheema of the SavePowaiLake movement. Meanwhile, citizens and nature lovers have decided to form a human-chain on Jun 1, ahead of World Environment Day at Powai Lake, and are planning to get as many participants as possible for this green cause.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Campaign launched to save 'rotting' Maharashtra's Powai lake
MUMBAI: Vexed with continued inaction from the authorities to clean which is packed to the brim with plants, locals and environmentalists have launched a campaign to save the water body and its . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Over 1,000 signatures of residents have been collected. Under the banner of #SavePowaiLake, activists have sent an email to chief minister , urging him to step in and order the civic authorities to clear the invasive water plants. "We have been pleading with civic officials for long, yet there is no action," said Pamela Cheema, a resident of JalVayu Vihar, Powai. The officials need to check if any sewer lines are opening into the lake as the hyacinth growth has not been under check. Hyacinth adversely impacts biodiversity and it blocks sun rays in the lake, NatConnect director B N Kumar said in his email to the CM. Powai lake is also home to crocodiles and a host of other aquatic life. Once a beautiful, sprawling wetland, Powai Lake presents a pathetic view and anyone driving on the main road can see, Kumar said, wondering as to why it has not caught the attention of any of the officials, ministers or elected representatives. There have been promises to beautify the lake,but they remained only on paper as the wetland continues to rot, Kumar added. Pictures speak more than a thousand words, said Shabbir Tambawala who presented a series of photographs of the lake, showcasing its "terrible" condition. The activists sent these pictures to the CM, marking the mail to the municipal commissioner while they simultaneously floated an online petition. "We care about Powai Lake because it's more than just water-it's life, history, and hope," said Milan Bhat, a resident of Hiranandani Gardens, who launched a social media campaign.
