Mumbai: Mumbai is facing the massive dust pollution issue. Therefore, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has been planning to turn the city’s historic Shivaji Park into a lush green field to mitigate this issue around this large open space. As per the board, an experiment is set to take place to cultivate grass to hold the soil in place so that dust can’t float in the air due to wind, causing respiratory difficulties for the citizens of the region.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been identifying a species of grass that could be eco-friendly, whose roots should be big enough that it can’t be uprooted. Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) will do the research on which kind of fertilizer and the quantity needed for the soil of the park.
BMC will start the work under the guidance of MPCB. We hope the experiment will be a success,” said Siddhesh Kadam, chairperson, MPCB. “If it does, we will implement it in all the grounds.” Officials of MPCB said that the grassy patch is set to be completed in a month; after that, the plantation drive will get underway across the park barring the cricket pitches. BMC will have to submit a report regarding this by the end of April.
Besides this, there is a plan to set up a sewage treatment plant for Shivaji Park for the supply of grey water for the lawn. On the sideline, tall plants of native species are to be planted to stop the wind from blowing the soil. This decision is taken after receiving several complaints from the Dadar residents.
