After roads and desilting scams, BMC now orders probe into sewage deals

The stench of corruption within the BMC is getting tougher to stomach. After the R352-crore road scam and the R150-crore desiliting scam, a sewage project scam could blow the whistle on the alleged nexus between bureaucrats in the BMC and contractors.

Also read - Mumbai: PIL seeks transfer of probe in Road scam and Desilting scam

Nearly half the water supplied by the BMC to the city is released into the sea without proper treatment. File pic

The civic body has ordered an inquiry to fix responsibility for any wrongdoing on senior officials and engineers in releasing payments of Rs 140 crore to the consultant of the ambitious Rs 12,000-crore Mumbai Sewerage Disposal Project-2 (MSDP-2).

The BMC had recently initiated a probe into the work done by the consultant - an international consortium led by Mott Macdonald - as none of its suggestions were found feasible to be implemented by the civic body. With a preliminary inquiry pointing fingers at dereliction of duties, the BMC decided to widen its probe - by looking at the rot within its house.

Also read: Busy Vigilance Dept has no time to check desilting sites

Ajoy Mehta, BMC commissioner, told mid-day, "I have asked officials to look into what went wrong and who are responsible for it."

Another big expose?
MSDP-2 envisages the establishment of seven sewage treatment plants at Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Versova, Malad, Ghatkopar and Bhandup, and upgrading existing networks to cover the entire city by 2025.

Mott Macdonald was appointed in 2005 to prepare a design report and suggest new technologies to treat waste water. But, the civic body could implement none of its suggestions or designs. After the Comptroller and Auditor General questioned the release of the consultant's fees, that too when the designs were faulty, the BMC terminated Mott Macdonald's contract last year.

According to officials from the general administration department, Mehta has asked for a report on what grounds payments were released to the consultant when it couldn't deliver on its work efficiently.

Also read - Desilting scam rocks Mumbai: 80 BMC officials probed after enquiry

On an average, the BMC supplies around 3,750 million litres of water per day (MLD) to city. Of the total supply, nearly 1,500 MLD is released into the sea without proper treatment. "The consultant was appointed to provide solutions to recycle waste water and use it for non-drinking purposes. But, nothing was done on that front. Either the consultant failed to give proper input or the civic authorities did not follow its suggestions. To zero in on the culprit, the commissioner has asked for a report on the issue," the mid-rank official said.

"The administration should conduct a detailed probe and ensure that the fees paid to the consultant are recovered," suggested a Sena corporator.