mid-day opinion: Not words, only work needed to fix Poinsur river

Representational Image

Kandivali West residents, a majority from Poinsur Gaothan, adjacent to and behind the Poinsur or Poisar river are bracing for their monsoon nightmare, our front page report stated. The river is an 11.15 km long river originating in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and flowing into the Marve Creek.

Photographs accompanying the report showed the Poinsur river choked to the point of suffocation. The flow is blocked at several points. Waste has carpeted the water, primarily garbage bags and plastic. A nauseating stench envelops the area.

In the monsoon, the gaothan floods, with water coming into residents' homes, as whatever is left of the river rises and has no outlet.

One can see some water on the west side, but the east side of the river is only debris. Several gaothan residents who have lived there for decades recalled in our report, how they used to go fishing or swimming in the river. Women would wash clothes, dry vessels on the banks.

Today, nobody dares dip their toe in it. Once the water was so translucent and clean one could see the pebbles beneath. The water has disappeared underneath the garbage.

First, gaothan residents need to get some relief. Desilting must be done thoroughly, not shifting around mud in a cosmetic con job.

People must move to safer areas during the monsoon as floodwaters could enter homes. There is a danger to life as people are scurrying to save themselves.

A retaining wall needs to be built, and some flood mitigation measures are urgent and immediately necessary. Verbal assurances fall short. Those responsible need to wrap up work pre-monsoon.
Work - not words - are needed.