The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) of Mumbai has come out with a study on how can Mithi, the river in Mumbai, be revived and made a clean river again. The report, titled “Making the Sewer… A River Again – Why Mumbai must reclaim its Mithi’ studies the condition of the Mithi river, which flows through the heart of Mumbai. The report also claims that the neglect and abuse of the river were the chief causes of the floods in India’s commercial capital on July 26, 2005 which claimed nearly a thousand lives.

But apart from highlighting how Mithi has turned into a toxic gutter, the report also gives solutions for reviving the river and transforming it into a beautiful river through holistic river rejuvenation and riverfront redevelopment project. Some of the steps that the report suggests are removing all the polluting businesses along the bank of the river, rehabilitation of slum-dwellers in nearby areas, protection of the remaining tracts of mangroves, ensuring perennial flow of clean water in the river so that it can attract migratory birds, and development of an unbroken riverfront corridor of nearly 18 kilometres that can become a place for recreation and sports. 

A film was on the same issue was also released. The report prepared by Gautam Kirtane, Riddhi Chokhawala, Dhaval Desai and Swarup Pandit released on May 17, also highlights the shortcomings in the Mithi redevelopment work undertaken by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) after the 2005 floods. 

The report also states that hundreds of crores of rupees have been wasted on this river without any results. It also suggests 21 specific remedial measures based on recommendations made by several government-appointed committees in the past, which were ignored.