India, May 19 -- Every monsoon, when the first lashings of rain submerges parts of the city, the civic body is censured for its laxity in desilting the nallahs. However, the nallah cleaning by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the eastern suburbs this year has exposed citizen apathy - amid the giant masses of junk, which include streams of plastic, garbage and others forms of refuse, conservancy staff on Sunday extracted household goods such as luggage, tables, beds, mattresses, sofas and refrigerators, and even an autorickshaw at one spot.

This was witnessed with only 20% of the desilting work being achieved in Zone V, said people on ground. Zone V covers the eastern suburbs from Mulund to the Kurla-Chembur belt. 125 major...