When Mumbaikars got together for a Powai lake clean-up

Last Saturday, a group of Mumbaikars cleaned a part of the Powai lake area. A popular spot with city folks, most of this area is also often an eyesore owing to to the garbage and debris thrown there. The participants embarked on the task in groups of two. They picked up trash and chanted slogans like ‘Make Powai plastic free’ and ‘Ek do teen chaar, Powai lake ko karo saaf’.The aim was to bring about a change in the surroundings there.
Says Avirat Parekh, a student, who participated in the efforts, “We started this about work a month ago, it is part of the ‘Act Powai’ campaign. The idea is to transform the functioning of Powai and the maintenance of its streets. Since Powai lake is also a place where people visit very often, we wanted to give it a proper clean-up.”
Considering the wide area here, the work has not been easy. “The lake has so many secluded corners that are dirty, plus plastic waste is dumped there. We go and clean the place every weekend and it is getting better, there is also more awareness. But greater participation is needed and we definitely have more room for volunteers,” Avirat adds.
It was also a learning experience for all. Ketul Patel, project manager, explains, “We learnt how to collect plastic, resize and recycle it. We then sent this to local, community-based recycling centers in Dharavi and Bhandup. So, it’s not just about shifting the garbage, but making sure it gets recycled. It’s about tackling the problem at the source.
After the morning’s work, around 50 bags of garbage were collected. At the end of the community-building experience, the volunteers gathered together and sang songs in a group.