The Times of India               09.10.2013

PMC to buy 15,000 sq m land for water project

PUNE: The standing committee on Tuesday approved a proposal to acquire land owned by an educational institute to complete its Wadgaon Budruk water treatment plant project.

"The standing committee on Tuesday approved a proposal to pay 154 per cent amount of ready reckoner rate to acquire 15,600 sq m of land from an educational institute to start phase II work of Wadgaon water treatment plant," said standing committee chairman Vishal Tambe. Water problems of about four lakh citizens would be solved once the plant is completed, he added.

The PMC has already acquired 2,500 sq metre land and a part of the project is functional here. Another 15600 sq mt land is with educational institute in the area.

The PMC had earlier proposed acquisition of land as per the ready-reckoner rate. However, the institute demanded that the PMC pay the acquisition price as per the land acquisition act - which is 154 per cent of ready-reckoner rate.

"The PMC will start the land acquisition process and complete the remaining project as soon as possible. This project is part of PMC's efforts to increase the network of water treatment plants across the city," he said.

The civic body undertook the ambitious project of building a water treatment plant with the capacity of 125 million litres in Wadgaon Budruk in 2003, but phase II of the project is still to start.