Mumbai civic body scraps ₹52-lakh plan to test quality of seawater

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cancelled a ₹52-lakh study to ascertain the quality of sea water — involving collection of samples from several

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cancelled a ₹52-lakh study to ascertain the quality of sea water — involving collection of samples from several coastal areas over a period of nine months — stating it is a costly affair, said civic officials. The civic body has cancelled the bids for the study and will now float bids for another study, in which seawater samples will be collected just once, instead of throughout the year, to bring down the cost.

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Earlier this year, the BMC had had floated bids to conduct the study by collecting samples in different climatic conditions for a period of nine months. “The response to the bidding was not great, nor was there willingness to spend ₹52 lakh on the study. Instead, we are told that the scope is being amended to bring down the cost of the study,” said a civic official.

However, according to BMC officials, taking samples in different climatic conditions, over nine months, would have helped the BMC understand the comparative quality of water throughout the year. “Now, we are in the process of re-floating the bids after the elections, with an amended scope, wherein water sample will have to be collected only once, preferably during summer months, from different coastal locations in city to ascertain sea water quality,” said the official.