Mumbai: Clean Powai lake still a distant dream

After receiving only one bid for a consultant to plan how to move sewer outfalls from the lake, the civic body extends deadline by two weeks, expects more firms to participate in tender

The wait for a clean Powai lake just got longer as the BMC received only one bid to its tender for a consultant to suggest a solution to divert the sewer network which has outfalls in the lake. The civic body has now decided to extend the cut-off date for filing bids by two weeks. 

Sewage discharge into the Powai lake has been a point of contention and discussion for more than 10 years and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation finally invited tenders to appoint a consultant for the same on July 15. 

Sandeep Kamble, chief engineer (in-charge) of sewerage project, said, “The deadline for submitting bids was set on July 26. But as we have received only one bid, we extended the deadline by two weeks. We are expecting more companies to participate in the tender.”

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According to a study done by an expert appointed by the BMC, 10.9 million litres of sewage is discharged in the Powai lake every day. Kamble added, “There are 15 outfalls that discharge untreated sewage into the lake. We have decided to divert them to the sewer network connected with a treatment plant.”

“We have planned to appoint a consultant and start the consultancy work before October, but it will be difficult to meet this deadline,” said a BMC official, adding, “The consultancy work will go on for six months. It is only after verifying the report submitted by the consultant that the actual work to divert the lines will start.”

Kamble said, “The cost of consultancy is Rs 65 lakh while the cost of the project will be determined after the consultant report.”

Environmentalist Stalin D said, “The Bombay High Court and National Green Tribunal have already ordered BMC to stop discharge of sewage in the lake as this is polluting the water and harming the biodiversity. BMC has been discussing this issue for a while and now needs to take action on war-footing to stop the sewer discharge.”

Rs 65L
Estimated budget for consultant

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