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AMC sends Rs 200-cr drainage proposal to Centre Friday, August 10, 2001

Times News Network
AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has submitted a proposal worth Rs 200 crore to the Central government to augment stormwater drainage and sewerage connection of the city.

Municipal commissioner K Kailashnathan said once this proposal is passed by the Centre, Sabarmati would cease to be the dumping yard of domestic waste or any kind of untreated water.

"Two parallel pipelines acting as interceptors running parallel to stormwater drains will ensure that polluted water does not reach Sabarmati. This will be a big step in cleansing the river in accordance with the National River Conservation Project," informed Kailashnathan.

Unlike the cent per cent Centre-funded 94-crore project for setting up of sewage treatment plants at Pirana and Vasna this project will have the corporation bear 30 per cent of the cost while the rest will be contributed by the central government.

"The Rs 200-crore proposal is under scrutiny as are many other projects from across the country. This 70-30 partnership is to ensure state governments' participation in such basic infrastructural projects," informed R.P. Sharma, advisor and joint secretary of Union ministry of environment and forest.

Sharma added, "In the yet to be announced 10th Five Year plan the Central government proposes to do away with the 100 per cent financing and change to the 70-30 per cent mode. In fact, we had proposed an equal state-centre partnership but state governments from across the country made their displeasure plain on the topic, so this formula."

The Rs 200-crore project also includes setting up of sewage pumping stations at areas like Saijpur-Bogha, Vatva. Kailashnathan said: "No less than 25 per cent of the city is yet to get sewerage connections and this project looks to solve the problem."

What is however not included in the multi-crore drainage and sewerage project is AMC's plan to inter-connect all of 45 lakes in the city. Lake Conservation project is the next on pipeline as AMC plans to connect storm water lines to these oft-dry lakes and fit the water bodies with percolating wells apart from beautification of the neighbourhood.

"Rainwater harvesting and discharging into the lakes which will be inter-connected should keep all the 45 water bodies full and recharge ground water tables at the same time. We propose to inter-connect the lakes so that as one gets filled with rainwater, the next in line is ready to be topped."

News Source : Times Of India News Service [ Lightning News ]

 

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