Spread across 32.5 sq km, the M-East ward is one of the largest in the eastern suburbs - large enough to warrant 13 corporators. It covers areas such as Deonar, Govandi, Mankhurd and Trombay, with a large percentage of slum population. This ward is also home to public sector companies and utilities like the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers (RCF), defence units and other such set-ups.

Since January, the Deonar dumping ground has witnessed multiple blazes, leading to the entire Chembur-Govandi-Mankhurd belt being covered in smoke. Pic/Sameer Markande