Court nod for river improvement plan expected tomorrow, but onset of monsoon means it's too late for work to begin
Court nod for river improvement plan expected tomorrow, but onset of monsoon means it's too late for work to begin
The much-delayed river improvement project is expected to get a green signal from the court on Tuesday, but the onset of the monsoon means the civic body remains as helpless in implementing it as before. As no work can be done till the rains subside, the Rs 62 crore project will have to remain on the backburner. Insiders in the PMC say that because of the delay, the cost of the project might escalate by Rs 3 crore. The JNNURM project aims to improve and cleanse the river. Installation of pipelines to improve the drainage system would have ensured that the sewage water flowed nine kilometres down the riverbed by the time the drainage water leaves the city. 
Waiting for the sun: The individual units that shall make up the pipeline
to be installed near the Mutha are lying on the banks of the river. There
are 300 such units which need to be moved to a safer place till work on
u00a0the project can begin after the rains. Pic/Himanshu Dixit
Now, since the work has been delayed, the 300 huge drainage pipelines lying on both sides of the Mutha river need to be moved to a safer place. "We were waiting for the court order to resume work. We wanted to complete the pipeline work before the onset of the monsoon but were unable to do so as the court asked us to stop all work along the riverbed," said Srinivas Bonala, project in-charge. "We will resume work after the monsoon." The storm water drain pipeline was supposed to ease out rainwater and sewage flow in the river without hurdles. Since the pipelines near the Mutha river have not yet been installed, it may cause water-logging in various areas of the old city near the river.
Discharge of storm water shall take more time to reach the river. Mangesh Dighe, Environ-ment Superintendent, PMC, said: "The installation of the drainage pipeline is the most important part of the Mutha River Improvement project, which is between Mhatre Bridge and Bund Garden Bridge. Laying separate water line along the Mutha shall automatically keep the water quality better and it will not spill into the river. The pipelines will connect with the nine sewage treatment plants along the river."
Rs 167-crore JNNURM project awaits go-ahead
Like the Mutha River Improvement project in the city, another JNNURM Storm Water Project in the suburban areas of Kharadi, Wadgaon and Baner is also facing rough weather. The Bombay High Court has given a stay order on the Rs 167 crore project. "We have no option but to wait for the court and also the monsoon to get over. Small works can be done when it does not rain," said Shivaji Sankpal, executive engineer of the project.
Mutha report
The PMC Environmental Survey Report (ESR) of 2009 says:
> Rapid increase in population leads to more sewage and pollution in the Mutha
> The dissolved oxygen level in the Mutha ranges from 5.89 to 0 mg at various locations. The level increases slightly at the Sangam Bridge
> Biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand at Chavan bridge are high at 38.99 mg a litre and 102.05 mg a litre respectively
> The water is highly polluted at Erandwane and Chavan Bridge as the quantum of unutilised domestic water flow is much more and water is slow flowing
> Accordinig to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board norms, the Mutha comes under A-IV, that is it is not fit for drinking, as the nullahs joining the river are polluted because of human interference
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