SURAT : While the unit owners in the
Sachin GIDC have uped their ante against the tender issued for inviting
private parties for setting up the pipeline network and supply of 35 million letre per day (MLD) water, Navsari MP
CR Paatil has written a letter to the managing director of GIDC to procure water from
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) instead of inviting private parties.
The GIDC has recently issued tender inviting applications from the private parties for the supply of 35 MLD water and the laying of the 11 kilometer long pipeline in the Sachin GIDC. The private party qualifying in the tender would have to maintain the pipeline network, raise water bills and collect payments on behalf of the notified area authority.
A meeting in this connection was organised by the unit owners at the Sachin Notified Area authority campus to protest the move by the GIDC for inviting the private parties and other issues concerning the overall infrastructural development of the GIDC on Saturday last. A rally was also organised on Tuesday to protest the issue.
In his letter to the GIDC MD, Navsari MP, CR Paatil said, "GIDC officials want to benefit a particular company by laying the 11-kilometer pipeline. The water will be drawn from the SMC facility by the private contractor. Instead, the GIDC should directly approach the municipal corporation for the requirement of water".
Paatil added, "The GIDC should reconsider the decision on the water network in Sachin in order to help the unit owners from the monopoly of the private party".
Leader of the Sachin GIDC unit owners, Mahendra Ramoliya said, There is open corruption in the installation of the LED lights, construction of the cement concrete roads and the underground cabling of the electricity lines. Now, the GIDC wants to give the water supply project to a private party, which will monopolise the business in the GIDC. There are 2,250 units in the GIDC and all will come under the direct rule of the private party for the water supply”
Ramoliya added, "The responsibility of water supply in the GIDC should be given either to the irrigation department or the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The SMC is already working on the project of supplying 35 MLD
tertiary treated water in the GIDC. So, why there is a need of a private party in the GIDC”