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.”
