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How flu outbreak at China further delays river rejuvenation project in Pune
Flu outbreak at China has hit the Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project as the machinery ordered from the neighbouring country for river water cleaning is yet to arrive
Pune: The flu outbreak at China has hit the Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project as the machinery ordered from the neighbouring country for river water cleaning is yet to arrive. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has ordered the machinery, and its delay has affected the plan that is running behind schedule.
The civic administration had to change its plan to visit China following the outbreak of flu causing respiratory illnesses and carry out machinery inspection by a third party, which may take time.
The Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project (RRP) is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), undertaken by PMC to ensure complete purification of wastewater in the city. The ambitious project, aimed at setting up 11 sewage treatment facilities, with work on ten already underway, is facing an unexpected obstruction due to Covid cases and pneumonia outbreak in China.
According to the PMC drainage department officials, the civic body needs a decanter centrifuge unit that continuously separates solid particles from liquid in the slurry, and therefore plays an important role in wastewater treatment. The NGS consultant which is executing the project has a unit in China and as per the plan, it was to procure the machinery. The company, according to the contract, will be supplying units to 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs) for RRP. However, due to the outbreak of Covid cases in China, the procurement is going to be delayed, said officials.
Jagdish Khanore, superintendent engineer, PMC drainage department and incharge of JICA project, said, “We need 11 units of decanter centrifuge which costs around ₹60 crore. We have completed 35 per cent work of 10 STPs so far. According to the contract, the city officials were to visit the manufacturing company to examine the unit, to ensure that it meets quality standards and follows the specified instructions. Once approved, the manufacturer will proceed to send the unit for use in the project.” According to Khanore, PMC has cancelled its plan to send officials and instead the inspection will be done by a third party for which the consultant will make arrangements.
“The contractor has written to us about the situation in the foreign country. Hence, we have decided to carry out a third-party inspection and place an order,” said Khanore.
Municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar has approved a third-party inspection and now, the consultant will conduct a test and issue certificate.
“We expect arrival of 11 units in two or three months,” he said.
According to officials, the project will create an additional treatment capacity of 396 million litre per day (MLD) over the existing treatment capacity of 477 MLD, laying of 55 km of sewer lines and renovation/rehabilitation of four existing intermediate pumping stations.
The Centre had cleared the ₹990-crore plan in January 2016. While PMC will share 15% of the project cost, the central government has agreed to provide 85%. JICA has provided subsidised loan to the Centre to implement the project.
