Earth5R’s Mithi River Community Cleanup Model
A River in Crisis – The Mithi River’s Tale of Neglect and Hope In the heart of Mumbai, a city known for its towering skyscrapers and relentless hustle, flows the Mithi River —or rather, what once was a river. Today, it resembles a murky drain, choking with industrial effluents, untreated sewage, and plastic waste. Once a vital artery of the city’s drainage system, the Mithi has now become a symbol of urban neglect. According to a 2020 report by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the river’s water quality index was recorded at an alarming level of 41 out of 100 , categorizing it as “heavily polluted.” The river’s biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), a key indicator of organic pollution, frequently exceeds the permissible limit of 3 mg/L , rendering the water unfit for any form of consumption or aquatic life. The plight of the Mithi River is not unique. Rivers in urban areas across the world are rapidly deteriorating due to unchecked pollution and inadequate wa...