PMC writes to Maha urging release of JICA project instalment despite ECC

The PMC’s Mula-Mutha pollution abatement project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

With the state government pressing pause on ₹28 crore worth of instalments to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the Mula-Mutha pollution abatement project owing to the model code of conduct ahead of the Lok Sabha (LS) polls, the PMC has now written to the state government urging the latter to release the money as this is an ongoing project and not a new one.

The ambitious project, aims at setting up 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs), with work on 10 out of these already underway. (HT PHOTO)

The PMC’s Mula-Mutha pollution abatement project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The ambitious project, aims at setting up 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs), with work on 10 out of these already underway.

According to senior officials of the PMC solid waste department, the central government approved a project for ₹990.26 crore on January 14, 2016. The central government is providing ₹841.72 crore (85%) while the PMC’s share is ₹148.54 crore (15%). So far, the PMC has received ₹213.91 crore from the central government for the JICA project. Till date, the PMC has spent ₹373.13 crore on the JICA project. The central government sends the subsidy to the state government, which then allocates it to the PMC. However, before the model code of conduct came into force, the Centre had sent ₹28 crore to the state government, which has not been transferred to the PMC, yet. The state government is citing the code of conduct as reason for not releasing the funds. It has now asked the Central Election Commission (CEC) if it can release the funds while the model code of conduct is in force.

A senior official of the solid waste department said, “After a long wait, the PMC has finally written to the state government last week, stating that the project isn’t new and that work has been going on since before the LS elections. The PMC argues that there is no need to halt funds because of the code of conduct. We have requested the release of ₹28 crore to avoid halting the project.”

Currently, all STPs under this project have been surveyed. Soil investigation for all STPs has been carried out. Tree cutting and replanting has also been completed for 10 STPs. Basic engineering work for all 11 STPs is complete. Design drawings for most units of all the STPs are complete. The demolition of the Dr Naidu STP and Bhairoba sewage pumping station has been completed.

Besides that, work is going on for 10 STPs with more than 30% of it completed for 9 STPs. Partial maps for some sewers have been approved. Main sewerage work is underway at six locations. Till date, the PMC has laid down 2282.5 metres of long drain out of the total 53,565 metres of sewerage lines.