The Indian Express                26.04.2013

MC explains reasons for pending projects to Badal’s technical advisor

The officials of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, on Wednesday, had to give detailed explanations on all pending city projects to V K Bhat, Technical Advisor to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on local bodies.

The meeting which started at 11 am ended in late evening at Zone D office of the civic body. Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, MC commissioner Rakesh Kumar Verma and zonal commissioners of all four zones discussed pending projects and reason for their delay with Bhat.

Kamlesh Bansal, zonal commissioner (Zone A) said: "The major thrust of the meeting was on 24x7 water supply and sewerage connectivity." Bhatt later went to the Bhattiyan Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and was appraisedof its operations.

Bhat also asked for details of the proposed metro project, pending auction of shops in underpaths and multi-level parking lot construction proposed for Feroze gandhi market from MC officials.

The projects of Lakkar bridge, cleaning of buddha nullah, indoor stadium, tubewells and other works lying pending for the past 15 years were also discussed.

Sources present at the meeting said MC officials "did not hesitate in making Bhat aware of the Municipal Corporation's financial positionand asked for funds wherever required".

The Indian Express                26.04.2013

PMC prepares list of no-water-supply areas

The list of areas where water would not be supplied until civic water projects are completed.

Plan to stay until water supply is augmented, tough to meet demand in developing areas, says civic chief.

Citizens planning to buy properties need to be cautious and consult the list the Pune Municipal Corporation, struggling to meet the water demand of an expanding city, has prepared. The list shows areas where no water will be supplied until the situation improves through steps like new purification plants. On the other hand, the civic administration has recommended legalising water connections of illegal structures to cut revenue loss and ensure proper distribution plan.

The civic administration proposal tabled in the standing committee suggested changes to the water policy for new water connections, and legalising unauthorised connections. "As many as 23 villages have been included in PMC jurisdiction and a lot of construction is going on there. It is getting difficult to meet water demand of newly developing areas and the civic body is unable to supply water to a few of them," said Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak in the proposal.

He said all proposed building projects would be provided 40 litre per capita per day (LPCD) water and developers should meet further needs through borewells, wells, rainwater harvesting or recycled water from sewage treatment plants. The policy decision would continue until the proposed supply from Bhama Askhed Dam comes through and new purification centres at Parvati and Vadgaon are set up.

"Areas in the civic jurisdiction that get limited water will not get water until these civic water projects are completed. It would be applicable to the 28 more villages proposed to be included in PMC area. The civic body will not be responsible for water supply to these areas until the proposed water purification project in the nearby area is completed," Pathak said.

Parts of Mohammadwadi, Hadapsar, Kondhwa Khurd, Kharadi, Lohegaon, Undri, Balewadi and Baner are on the list of areas where water would not be supplied. PMC has also prepared a list of areas where water supply would be limited to 40 LPCD and they include parts of Mohammadwadi, Hadapsar, Kondhwa Khurd, Vadgaonsheri, Lohegaon, Dhayari, Vadgaon Khurd, Vadgaon Budhruk, Hingane, Kondhwa Budhruk, Katraj, Dhankawadi Ambegaon, Dattanagar, Balewadi, Baner and Pashan.

Talking about illegal water connections, Pathak said, "PMC action on illegal water connections has failed due to resistance from residents. Besides, illegal connections which are plugged crop up again. They lead to financial loss for PMC as there is no record of illegal connections," he said, adding it also throws water distribution plans awry. The state government has directed all civic bodies to either legalise illegal water connections or discontinue supply, he said, but added that the primary duty of the civic body is to provide water to citizens.

"It would be proper to provide water to illegal structures like other services. The water connections at illegal structures should be regularised at higher cost. The efforts to check illegal construction should not be linked to water supply and should be handled independently," he said.

PMC will also take up installation of water meters for every new water connection to cover the entire water supply system as per JNNURM norms.