PUNE The standing committee on Thursday cleared two proposals for pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon desilting works of canals. This after the monsoon season is over this year. This desilting works will take place in the newly merged villages of Fursungi, Uruli Devachi, Sadesatranalli and Keshavnagar and will cost the civic body Rs 1.97 crore.
The standing committee panel headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cleared the two proposals to desilt the canals in these villages using the spider machine for pre-monsoon, during monsoon and post monsoons works. At the meeting, councillors from across the city raised concerns of silt chocking the canals after the flash flood and repeated flood-like situation in the city during the prolonged rains this season. The two proposals cost exactly the same amount, Rs 98,97,866 which is just one per cent less than the estimated cost put forward by the PMC. Although two separate contractors have been shortlisted for the contract.
The proposal was put forward by the vehicle depot (VD) department which provides vehicles and equipment to various departments when required.
Nitin Udas, deputy municipal commissioner of the vehicle depot department said, “The tender is for pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon works. Although monsoon may be officially over, the damage caused by the retreating monsoon and the rains due to the cyclone has accumulated a lot of silt in the canals which have to be cleared. This tender was formed after we received demands from the ward offices who needed spider machines which are known to clean difficult places in the canals.”
{{/usCountry}}Nitin Udas, deputy municipal commissioner of the vehicle depot department said, “The tender is for pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon works. Although monsoon may be officially over, the damage caused by the retreating monsoon and the rains due to the cyclone has accumulated a lot of silt in the canals which have to be cleared. This tender was formed after we received demands from the ward offices who needed spider machines which are known to clean difficult places in the canals.”
{{/usCountry}}He also added that the tender was put up before the elections but, due to the code of conduct it was postponed. The code of conduct kicked in the state from September 21, which is the last month of monsoon.
Udas said, “The quantum of damage is so huge that we will fall short this time and by the time we are done with this monsoon work, we will have to begin pre-monsoon work for the next season. We are receiving demands for the spider machine from across the city from all wards.”