No to JNNURM funds hurts PMC projects

The biggest reversal for PMC was the Union government’s refusal to fund the proposed 500 MLD water purification plant at Parvati. The previous Union government had give its consent to the project under JNNURM but the funds were not released. The new government after assuming power put on hold the projects that were approved but were not given funds. These included the water purification plant at Parvati in Pune.

“There is a dire need of the 500 MLD water purification plant at Parvati as the existing plant is going to be 50 years old. The existing plant was constructed in 1968 and its life is over. It was necessary to prepare an alternative if there is problem,” said PMC City Engineer Prashant Waghmare.

“The project was approved under JNNURM by the previous government, but the new government dropped it from JNNURM funding,” he said. “It is upto the PMC to complete the project on its own. The proposal for the consent of elected representatives to spend civic funds for the project would be tabled in the general body meeting anytime now.”

As it was not possible to divert such a big budgetary amount for completion of the water treatment plant at Parvati, the civic administration is likely to make provisions for it in the civic budget for 2015-16. “This will definitely affect other development projects carried out using civic funds. The other projects would get delayed due to lack of funds after this amount is spent on Parvati plant,” said another civic officer.

The project would be a big respite for the existing water supply system that is overburdened. The present water treatment plant could be reconstructed once the new plant is operational. “The water works plant at Pune Cantonment was constructed in 1885 and can fail anytime. The PMC plans to undertake its reconstruction after the 500 MLD plant is operational,” he said.

Elected representatives of the ruling NCP and Congress in the civic body had reacted in an aggressive manner after it was brought to their notice that the new BJP-led union government had cancelled funding for several projects, including the water purification plant at Parvati. BJP corporators assured them they would approach their senior leaders to get funding for the civic projects approved by the previous government.

“This is a failure of BJP leaders from the city. They ought to get funds for approved civic projects. The citizens had elected one MP and eight MLAs from the city in the recently held elections and now the public will have to suffer due to the decision of the BJP government. We will raise the issue when the discussion to spend civic funds on projects is tabled in the general body meeting,” said a Congress leader.

The PMC standing committee recently had to allot Rs 10.97 crore from civic funds for implementation of ITMS for execution of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Nagar and Alandi Road as the union government did not give funds for the project.

“The decision to spend civic funds for ITMS was taken as execution of BRTS was getting delayed. We cannot allow projects to suffer if funding stops and we also have to face the public,” said Bapu Karne, chairperson of the standing committee.