25 November,2020 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta Kasale
The desalination plant is to come up in Manori. Representation pic
Even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray okayed a R1,600 crore desalination project proposed by Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, former sanctioned projects of the BMC are gathering dust. These projects were introduced by Chahal's predecessors as part of their vision for the city.
The desalination plant which is to come up at Manori, was okayed during Chahal's meeting with Thackeray on Monday. The project could provide 200 mld (million litres per day) water daily. The CM thinks it will solve water scarcity in summer.
The city gets 3,800 mld water daily and around 20 per cent is lost due to leakages. This is not the first time the corporation has considered a desalination project - an earlier one was rejected due to high costs.
Current civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal, Praveen Pardeshi and Ajoy Mehta
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"The BMC hasn't been able to fix issues related to the century-old water pipelines, thefts. There is no need for such a high-cost project. The BMC can save 380 mld out of 800 mld water which is lost due to leakages at a much lower cost," said Ashish Shelar, BJP MLA.
The civic body has a history of commissioners introducing projects that never get completed despite budgetary sanctions. Former municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta's project 36-km cycle track which had a budgetary provision of R100 crore in 2018-19 out of the total R350-crore cost. The track, connected to 10 Central Railway stations, five Western Railway stations, seven Metro and two Monorail stations, was supposed to be ready in 2020. Not even the first phase of 14 kms has been completed. "There was an issue of encroachment along the Tansa pipeline and the matter is sub judice," said BMC officer.
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Chahal's predecessor Praveen Pardeshi introduced the concept of Miyawaki forests and said the project would convert 64 city plots into dense forests. The R35-crore project was sanctioned in December 2019 and was supposed to start before monsoon. Another much-talked-about project involving Japanese experts to construct an underground tank for rainwater inside the Bhandup complex hasn't seen the light of day.
"Projects proposed by commissioners are scrutinised and need several approvals. It takes some time to complete them under the administrative system," said a former BMC chief, adding, "To a certain extent, proposals get delayed after officers leave and the enthusiasm dies down. At other times, there are legal issues and now the COVID-19 pandemic, which are beyond the administration's control."
"Commissioners don't come with the vision of a Mumbaikar. They come with their own visions, which leave with them. We always give suggestions for citizens' benefit, but officers need to think seriously, too," said Ravi Raja, leader of opposition in the BMC.
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