Mega water scheme runs into rough weather

Mega water scheme runs into rough weather
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

PUNE, APRIL 15: The mega water supply and sewerage management project appears to be jinxed. With the State Government ruling out the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)'s request for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to kickstart the scheme, the Rs 344 crore project has run into rough weather yet again.

Not only had the civic administration scaled down the cost of the massive project to Rs 344 crore, but had also asked about the sanction for the revised scheme on technical grounds. Surprisingly, even as the sanction was awaited, the standing committee had approved tenders worth Rs 22 crore and issued work orders to the contractors.

The administration had mentioned that the State Government had asked it to get the project scrutinised by the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) -- which is the official agency of the State Government for checking such projects. Only after the MJP clearance can the administration submit the project to the State Government.

Despite the passing of tenders Municipal Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad had stopped the process of issuing work orders to contractors as the clearance from the State Government on the scheme was awaited. A letter issued by the State Government undersecretary Kashikar on April 11 to the PMC clearly mentions that the technical clearance was essential for the project.

Moreover, the other criteria of MJP scrutinising the project may well delay the project for another two months. Also, the MJP has decided to charge the PMC Rs 45 lakh as fees for conducting the scrutiny. While the State Government extends grants upto Rs 23.33 per cent of the costs of such projects undertaken by local self-government institutions, the administration's demand for giving allocations up to 50 per cent of the cost was also rejected by the Government.

The controversial project had been originally designed by the then municipal commissioner Ramanath Jha in April 1997, which had been unanimously rejected by the general body. Jha had proposed the implementation of the entire scheme through privatisation. All the political parties had criticised the scheme, saying it was inflated and would prove a financial burden for the municipal corporation.

After the scheme had been rejected by the general body, the then municipal commissioner Arun Bhatia had prepared a fresh proposal. While Jha had pegged the project cost at Rs 735 crore, Bhatia had brought it down to Rs 344 crore.