DSC_5495.jpg

After looking for various solutions to prevent illegal entry of rag pickers and residents from nearby slums, the BMC will release tenders to set up 10 watch towers around the Deonar Dumping Ground, within the next two days. These towers will be constructed along with high masts around the boundary of the dumping ground.

Initially, the BMC had planned to construct up to 15 watchtowers every 200 metres along the periphery of the dumping ground.

This provision was initiated on the request of the police, as an additional security measure to prevent illegal entry into the dumping ground, along with tagging rag pickers with RFIDs and securing the dumping ground with a high wall. The towers are to be manned by police and security guards from private agencies hired especially for this purpose to record unauthorised entries.

However, the BMC will now construct only nine watchtowers around the periphery. The tenth one will be constructed atop the ward office building.

An official from the solid waste management (SWM) department said, “We will have to construct proper structures for the nine towers.

As for the tenth tower, which is atop M (East) ward office, we will just have to construct a basic shed and put some equipment there. Construction of that tower will not take long.”

The BMC will invite tenders for construction of these towers within this week. However, it will take up to six months to finish constructing them, sources said. Construction of each tower is expected to cost the BMC about Rs 50 lakh.

Meanwhile, it has kept the other provisions on hold. Despite conducting camps to identify and regularise rag pickers who have entry into the dumping ground, the process of issuing RFID cards to them has been postponed.

An official said, “We will first complete this initiative and later work on how to regularise ragpickers.”