The Times of India                   09.11.2010

PCMC water supply project hits a roadblock

PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's (PCMC) ambitious water supply project -- laying a 36-km pipeline from the Pavana dam to Nigdi -- has received an extension from the state government till December 2011. However, faced with severe opposition from residents in many villages from where the pipeline is to be laid, the future of the project hangs in balance.

Speaking to TOI on Saturday, Ambadas Chavan, joint city engineer and chief of water supply department, PCMC confirmed the extension of the deadline. Chavan said, "The work of laying the pipeline in the municipal limits on a stretch of around five km has been completed so far. The PCMC has received possession of 60 per cent of the land that is required for the project outside the municipal limits."

The extension was necessary as it is a Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)-funded project, said officials. PCMC had pointed out to the state government that the project has been delayed due to delay in getting land for the project.

P G Nale, special land acquisition officer, PCMC said, "The work of land acquisition on a 13-km stretch of the pipeline has been allotted. The villages in which land is to be acquired include, Donje, Shirgaon, Somatne, Parandwadi, Urse and Adhe. Land acquisition in five villages except Urse has been completed, he said.

Gajanan Babar, Shiv Sena MP from Maval Lok Sabha constituency, who has opposed the PCMC project said, "Our opposition to the project is due to two reasons -- the water flow in the river will later reduce and the power generation of the dam will stop. The municipal corporation will be constructing two Kolhapur type weirs on Pavana river to ensure that there is water throughout the year in the river. The lifting of water directly from the dam will stop generation of power as there will be no release of water from the dam."

Dnyaneshwar Dalvi, former president, Maval unit of BJP said, "The pipeline will pass through 75 villages. The water supply schemes and the 14,000 acres of irrigated land in these villages is completely dependent on the water released from Pavana dam into Pavana river. This was not taken into consideration while approving the project. Ten MW electricity is generated from the water released from the dam which will stop after the completion of the project."

He added, "PCMC should take water from Ravet bund on Pavana river instead of laying the pipeline."

District president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) Shankarrao Shelar said that the sangh is considering approaching the Supreme Court as the project is against the interests of farmers and the residents in the villages. "PCMC should lift the water from Pavana river at Ravet or Gahunje villages. The cost of the project has escalated from Rs 400 crore to Rs 550 crore in two years and is expected to go up to Rs 1,000 crore. Only the future population of PCMC limits and its needs has been taken into account while considering the project. The population of towns and villages is also expected to increase by 2031, but it has not been considered."

Rajendra Kate, opposition leader, PCMC said, "The completion date has expired. PCMC should have given the work order for the project after getting all the requisite land in its possession. Many projects in PCMC cannot be completed due to non-availability of funds. If PCMC is going to reinvite bids for the project then it should invite bids after getting all the requisite land in its possession."

Mayor Yogesh Behl had demanded that the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) should bear the expenditure of the pipeline project by giving Rs 200 crore to PCMC as the residents of PCNTDA limits use the drinking water purified and supplied by PCMC. But, PCNTDA rejected the demand citing the reason that it cannot give money for such projects.