Pitching their hopes on the Smart City bandwagon, residents of Jalandhar have taken to the online polling portal to highlight the problems of poor sewerage and solid waste management.
In the first week of citizen polling for the Smart City Round-2 proposal started by the municipal corporation MC, the highest number of votes came in for focus on the sewerage system upgrade.
Of the nine options that the MC has given in the poll, residents have largely opted for the last option, which is sewerage system upgrade (43% votes), while solid waste management is second on the priority list (21%).
When contacted, Lakhwinder Singh, superintending engineer, operation and maintenance (O&M) department, MC, said the major chunk of funds under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) would be directed to sewerage work in various parts of the city. ‘Work to start soon’ He added that the MC had sent a Rs 44-crore proposal around three months ago for work related to sewerage upgrade, and was awaiting the funds.
The money would be released only after the MC sends a detailed project report (DPR) for the work, which is to be done by consultants as commissioned by the government, said officials.
The consultants are expected to visit the city any time this week, it is learnt. “We are expecting to start the sewerage upgrade in various parts of the city in the coming three months,” said Lakhwinder. Places to be covered Officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board said the plan is to cover the whole MC area. “We are targeting all areas of the city with 100% sewerage arrangement,” said Pankaj Jain, executive engineer.
{{/usCountry}}The consultants are expected to visit the city any time this week, it is learnt. “We are expecting to start the sewerage upgrade in various parts of the city in the coming three months,” said Lakhwinder. Places to be covered Officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board said the plan is to cover the whole MC area. “We are targeting all areas of the city with 100% sewerage arrangement,” said Pankaj Jain, executive engineer.
{{/usCountry}}Areas where work is on are Sheikha village near the old Hoshiarpur-Pathankot road, Paragpur area, Hardeep Nagar, Three-Star Colony, and Dhanowal.