PUNE: To avoid irregularities in the pre-monsoon work, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to do centralised pre-monsoon work and track machines with the help of GPS to pinpoint nalas and other cleaning work, informed Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.
According to PMC, it was necessary to start the work at the earliest, otherwise, it would be difficult to complete it before the monsoon. “This work cannot be stopped or delayed otherwise we will have to face the consequences like the city witnessed last year at Katraj-Bibvewadi. Pre-monsoon work included cleaning of nalas, stormwater drain and chambers. Normally, work starts in April every year,” informed a civic official.
USING GPS TO TRACK NALAS’ CLEANING WORK
While speaking to Sakal Times, Gaikwad said, “We need a minimum of 45 days to complete pre-monsoon work. We have prepared a scientific plan to clean nalas and other pre-monsoon work. Normally, PMC pays contractors to clean nalas on a cubic meter basis (remove sludge). No one keeps a record and people make allegations against PMC over the funds used.” “Now, we have decided to take help from the PriMove agency which drafted a report of nalas and future flooding in the city. They have given numbers to every section of nalas. We will take the help of these numbers and clean nalas accordingly which will help us to track cleaning work. The whole cleaning work will be done by the main drainage department instead of ward offices. We will centralise the pre-monsoon work and scrap the system of decentralised nala cleaning. The guideline will be issued shortly,” said the civic chief.
“To control the work, we have decided to track all machines like JCB, excavator, porcelain, dumper and tippers with fitted GPS,“ Gaikwad added.
AMBIL ODHA WORK TO START TODAY
Civic Chief Gaikwad said, “We have limited time to complete pre-monsoon work. At present, we have focused on Ambil odha and the restoration work will be done on priority. We will clean two Katraj lakes (upper and lower) and reduce the water level to repair the lake and construct retaining walls in the 12-kilometre stretch of Ambil odha during flash flood incidents last year. The work will start on Thursday. We will take help of the College of Engineering, Pune to do a structural audit of Katraj dam.
Pune city has around 400 kilometres of nalas whereas there are 40,000 drainage chambers and stormwater drainage line of 200 kilometres. Katraj, Wadgaon Sheri, Peth areas, Hadapsar, Pashan, Dhanori-Vishrantwadi, Hingne, Dattawadi, Aundh and Kothrud are high flooded areas.
