These ìflotsam crewî, numbering in excess of 40,000 people at the height of the clean-up operations, ply the waters twice a day to scoop up nearly every tree branch, twig, or plastic bag in sight. There was talk in the early days that the local authorities would invest in bigger clean-up boats that can do the job more efficiently. But this option faded away quietly when it became apparent that the cleanup operation offered a major opportunity to boost local employment and garner more funds from the central government. Here, a member of a clean-up crew burns flotsam collected from the river. [Nov 06 2008]
