Chat

Darryl D'monte

Environmental Journalist & author

Jul 05, 2012 | Closed

What Mumbai lacks to cope with the rains

Chat with environmental journalist Darryl D'monte on what Mumbai lacks to cope with the rains at 4 pm this thursday.

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What changes are required in functioning of BMC? Asked by: Monty
Get corporators who are serious about doing their job and not, as Mayor Sunil Prabhu and his entourage are currently doing, going off on tours of Singapore to study their water system!
Isn't all these Bombay's citizen's fault? On the day of voting, the voting outcome 49%, that's too low, and then they blame local govt.? Isn't it there moral duty to vote and elect appropriate Govt, which can give them best, because after all they also pays highest TAX in all over the India. Asked by: Neel Shah
Actually only around 2% of the entire populatioon of the country pays income tax, so the bulk of revenues come from indirect taxes, which hit the poorest worst. Yes, it is our common lethargy, which is secondarily responsible for the mess
Who is responsible for the mess? Asked by: Honey
Both the citizens and the BMC, but primarily the latter. As you are aware, I think the budget of the BMC is around Rs 20,000 crore a year -- more than some states. We should elect more public-minded corporators
Hi, Do you think it's a question of lack of resources or lack of will that's holding us back. It's pathetic. Today, I could not even report for my work. Asked by: Kuntal Bagchi
Yes, you are right. In fact, the richest area of the country -- Malabar Hill -- shows the poorest voter turnout and most Malabar Hillwallahs wouldn't even know who their corporator is. But this doesn't detract from the sloth of the BMC
What should the govt do abt Monsoon mayhem in Mumbai? Asked by: Anu
Clean the Mithi and the two other rivers; desilt the nullahs. Ensure wetlands like salt pans and mangroves aren't built upon: they are nature's sponges and act to absorb the excess rainfall or high tides.
Your advise to the Mumbaikars? Asked by: Madhu
Do not pave over land surrounding buildings in a co-op society, but allow water to refill the aquifer. Don't use plastic, because it clogs the city's arteries and -- like what happens to humans with a blood clot -- causes thrombosis, which can prove terminal
Has situation changed in last 10 years? For better or worse? Asked by: Gunjan
Worse -- recall the Mega Flood of July 2005, when the entire city came to a halt. We have not learned the lessons from that fiasco. We have to be extremely careful of further reclamation -- contrary to what current consultants, Surbana from Singapore are proposing to the BMC
THE BMC has lost vision and no effective planning seems to be in place to manage the man made disasters in case of monsson rains. Why are the ruling politicians sleeping over ??? Asked by: sundar1950in
It has become too dependent on private contractors to carry out cleaning and desilting works and does not have more imaginative ways of dealing with heavy rains. It should promote water-harvesting with a vengeance, which will tide over the monsoon at least for some uses, and make sure that we aren't deficient, come summer 2013. The politicians are asleep because they are making money on contracts for public works
MUMBAI citizens once admired for their civic sense have now come to level with other CITY ZENS and are not bothered on non works by the BMC in their area. Why has this change happened,which makes the civic body lethargic in reponding to people's needs ??? Asked by: sundar1950in
People are somehow inured to the non-performance of the BMC, see it as inefficient and ridden with corruption and feel helpless against this monolith. They have to learn to exercise their power -- just like Juhu citizens elected their own corporator a few years ago
WILL te BMC rope in Corporate sector in innovative management of the local bodies to prevent traffic snarls.? Asked by: sundar1950in
I don't see how the private sector can help with traffic snarls: if anything, it is the minuscule number of private car owners -- 8% of the commuting traffic -- which hogs most of the road space and causes snarls