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Bathinda MC decides to take over water supply, sewer works
Currently, the operation and maintenance of sewerage in Bathinda has been outsourced by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board to Triveni, a private firm.
During a stormy general house meeting of the Bathinda municipal corporation over the choked sewerage across the city ahead of monsoon, the house on Monday unanimously decided to take over the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the sewerage and the water supply in the city.
Currently, the O&M has been outsourced by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) to Triveni, a private firm.
Municipal commissioner Rahul said the local body had already started desilting of drains due to poor work progress by the outsourced agency.
Several councillors flagged the issue of water supply getting mixed with sewage after which the commissioner ordered necessary action. He said that since the PWSSB reported directly to its headquarters in Chandigarh, there was no direct accountability of the board to the MC. The commissioner said taking over the O&M would improve the situation wherein responsibility can be fixed.
Acting mayor Ashok Pradhan said that as the contract of Triveni ends next year, the MC in the first phase would hire an agency equipped with suction machines to maintain the sewerage network. “Officials of the PWSSB would look after the O&M. The MC has been managing the water supply efficiently and the pilot project of sewerage maintenance will give relief to the city residents,” said Pradhan, who chaired today’s meeting.
A seven-member panel under deputy mayor Master Harmandar Singh Sidhu was formed to look into the complaints of delay in cleaning sewerage drains this year.
“Several localities are reporting overflowing of sewage. There are complaints against PWSSB dispatching drain cleaning machines to other towns of Bathinda and adjoining districts whereas desilting in the city is far from cleaning. The committee will complete the probe and table a report within a month where the role of Triveni will also be looked into,” Sidhu added.
