PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to take the final call after consulting political leaders on the inflated tenders of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded pollution abatement of Mula-Mutha river project work. However, the PMC is firm on its stand not to approve the inflated cost of the project.

While speaking to the media, Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said, “The PMC has cleared its stand about not taking additional financial burden due to inflated tenders of JICA project.”

“We have already sent letters and conveyed the National River Conservation Directorate  (NRCD). Meanwhile, Deputy chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated in one of the meetings that the PMC should have to approve the tender of one of the packages and start work,” PMC Commissioner Gaikwad said. 

“In one pakage tender, a company has quoted reasonable rates for work. During Saurbah Rao’s tenure, the PMC was requested to reconsider other inflated tenders. However, this request was rejected. Now, we have decided to call a meeting of all party leaders in the PMC to take a final decision on inflated tenders. Political parties will have to take a final call as we are not going to take blame of citizens by approving inflated tenders of the project,” he added. 

Under the JICA project, the civic body will construct new 11 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) in different parts of the city for pollution abatement of Mula-Mutha river. The projects include collecting the sewage from point source and diverting it to sewage treatment plants (STP), build STPs and treat water, release into the river, to build system which supplies treated water to reuse in agriculture and industrial purpose along the riverside.

PROJECT TIMELINE
- After that, the civic body took a stand that it will not pay the inflated cost of the project. 
- PMC sent a letter to NRCD and sought a consultant from NRCD. 
- After sending three letters to NRCD, finally, NRCD called civic officials to discuss the issue in December and directed the PMC to take final call on the tenders and conveyed their decision.

MULA-MUTHA PROJ
- The PMC floated tenders for JICA project. The estimated cost of construction of  four Sewage Treatment plants (STPs) is Rs 410 crore. 
- However, all five companies quoted 35 per cent more than the estimated cost and the cost went up to Rs 700 crore.