Paucity of funds stalls projects in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Work on the sewage treatment plant (STP) to supply treated sewage water to Mahagenco’s Koradi extension plant has got stuck as the state government is yet to release the fourth installment of JNNURM funds, amounting Rupees 22 crore.
Mahagenco’s first 660 MW unit at Koradi plant will be the first one to generate electricity using treated sewage water. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) will get 15 crore per annum from Mahagenco for the sewage water supply.The STP will treat polluted water of Nag and Pili rivers and supply it to Koradi plant. Mahagenco has decided to cater cooling and fire fighting water requirements of about 130 million litres per day (MLD) for its 1,980 MW extension (3x660 MW). The first 660 MW unit is expected to start generation in first or second quarter of 2015. However, without water this will not be possible.
The polluted water of the two rivers is polluting Gosikhurd dam. Until the Mahagenco STP and Bhandewadi STP become functional the pollution of the reservoir won’t stop.
The total cost of the project is 195 crore. The Centre had sanctioned 136 crore on the basis of the original estimate. The Centre’s share as per this estimate comes to 68 crore. The state share, which is 20%, is 27 crore. The remaining 41 crore was NMC’s share. However, due to cost escalation of 59 crore, its share increased to 100 crore.
The state government released the third installment of 16 crore in July 2014. Even though the work using this installment has been completed, the government has not released the remaining 22 crore.
Meanwhile, NMC has issued the work order for 200 MLD STP at Bhandewadi. Superintending engineer Prakash Urade said within 90 days an action plan for the project would be prepared. “During the same period mobilization of machinery would be completed.”
“We will then construct one intake each in north and south sewerage zones to draw water from Nag and Pili rivers. The capacity of both intake wells is 75 MLD. We will have to first acquire land for constructing the intake wells,” he said adding it would take about three years for the project to complete.