The Indian Express   06.09.2012

CM to take a call on pipeline to Pavana

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has urged the state
government to get the stalled Rs 400-crore Maval pipeline rolling
again. The project had hit a hurdle following the death of three
protesting farmers in police firing in Maval in August last year. PCMC
now expects Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to take a “quick decision”
in the larger public interest.

On Tuesday, a PCMC delegation led by Mayor Mohini Lande,
Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi and MLAs Vilas Lande, Laxman
Jagtap and Anna Bansode met Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai
and brought to his notice observations of the Maharashtra Water
Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) regarding the project.

The report of the MWRRA, which has backed the project,
recommended that PCMC could draw water from Ravet bund on the Pavana
river for four months during monsoon, and make use of the pipeline for
the remaining eight months. The civic chief said the PCMC has requested
the state government to give its nod for the pipeline work stalled for a
year now. He said the request to the government was made on the basis
of the MWRRA recommendations. “We cited the MWRRA recommendations
regarding lifting of water from Ravet bund for four months and directly
from Pavana dam for eight months. Our request will now go to the Chief
Minister and we expect him to take the decision in the larger public
interest,” he said.

The cost of the project has already risen by Rs 50 crore and PCMC
water department officials fear it will shoot up more. “If delayed
further, we fear the cost might go up further,” senior officials said.
Of the 35-km pipeline from Pavana dam to Nigdi, PCMC has been able to
lay down only 1,800 mm of a four-km stretch in PCMC limits. “We laid
down part of the pipeline in PCMC limits only,” said civic project head
Ramdas Tambe. The project had been taken up by three private parties in a
joint venture.

 Meanwhile, the farmers’ opposition continues and they have rejected
the MWRRA report. Eknath Tile of the Maval Golibar Kruti Samiti said,
“We will not allow PCMC to lay down the pipeline, come what may.”

Families of farmers who died in the firing said they were still
waiting for the promised jobs as compensation. “We made several rounds
of PCMC and even went to the Mantralaya but in vain. We were promised a
job, but we have heard nothing from civic or state officials,” said
Chetan Tupe (32), brother of Shyam Tupe who died in the firing on August
9 last year.

State directives: Corporators will be kept in the loop

The PCMC has decided to place important directives— letters and
reports sent by the state government — in the civic general body
meetings every month. The decision was taken by Municipal Commissioner
Dr Shrikar Pardeshi recently.

A Shiv Sena delegation had in June met Dr Pardeshi and protested
against the “undemocratic and insensitive” style of functioning of the
civic administration officials. The civic chief, who had then just taken
over, had said he was not aware of the matter. He had said he would go
into the details and take suitable action. Dr Pardeshi has now directed
his officials to keep the letters, reports, annoucements and other
directives from the state government on the agenda of civic general body
meetings. “The order was issued by the civic body last week,” said PCMC
spokesperson Kiran Gaikwad. The Sena had said the state government
sends monthly or weekly letters, directives, reports and notifications
to civic bodies across Maharashtra. They carry important policy
decisions to be implemented by civic bodies. “However, it was observed
that PCMC administration never placed these letters or directives before
the civic general body. The administration on its own decides to
implement government orders without corporators having any knowlege of
them,” said Shiv Sena corporator Seema Savle, who has praised the civic
chief’s directive. “A historical wrong has been set right.” Citing the
BPMC Act, the Sena had said it was mandatory for the Municipal
Secretary’s office to place details of government directives in civic
general body meetings.
Welcoming the PCMC chief’s action, activist Sachin Godambe said, “The decision by Dr Pardeshi deserves praise.”