It’s one year past the deadline, but the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is yet to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for maintenance and upkeep of a mega pipeline from Naroda to Narol. The delay in formation of SPV is hindering maintenance, resulting in overflowing of effluents which contaminate drinking water.
The issue was raised by the member secretary of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) in a meeting with AMC officials in mid-January. In fact, the civic body was supposed to form the SPV by January 2013.
The principal secretary of forests and environment of government of Gujarat had instructed the civic body to form the SPV at the meeting held on November 5, 2012. The SPV was to be formed considering the gravity of the pollution in Kharicut canal.
The mega pipeline was set up by GPCB to carry industrial effluents from Naroda, Odhav and Vatva GIDC areas. The AMC maintains it on behalf of the industries for which it charges them. “The industries commissioner, city engineer of AMC, representatives of GPCB, GIDC and concerned industrial estates were to be the members of the committee,” said sources.
“The civic body charges exorbitant price for providing maintenance services, which hints at corrupt practices,” alleged a leading industrialist. According to them, having a separate committee would mean that these corrupt practices would end.
During the January meeting, the member secretary had also drawn attention of AMC to leakage in the mega pipeline near Kharicut canal and contamination caused by the same, said sources in AMC.
According to sources, the AMC officials had promised to prepare a draft proposal at the earliest, but no action has been initiated in this direction, said sources.
Deputy municipal commissioner M Thennarasan could not be reached for his comment.
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