The 2011 census stated that Mumbai has 1,137 manual scavengers, the highest in Maharashtra, but BMC’s survey says there are none.

According to the census, Mumbai was followed by Akot Municipal Council in Akola district with 530 manual scavengers. BMC invited responses both through self-declaration and door-to-door survey and completed the exercise last month.

The ever-increasing waste generated in the city that just has three dumping grounds has now forced BMC to consider decentralisation, with mini-grounds at various locations.

More than 10 years after it was made mandatory, BMC has failed to ensure rainwater harvesting in most new buildings.

A study by Observer Research Foundation, a think tank on public policy, has revealed most new buildings do not have rainwater harvesting facilities.
It said even if half the developed area in the city was roofed for rainwater harvesting, about 590 million litres — almost a sixth of the 3,000 million litres BMC supplies — could be generated every day. The study, to be released by mayor Sunil Prabhu Saturday, also revealed the city wastes over 900 million litres daily, much more than the about 650 million litres supplied in Pune.