Nagpur: The city will get regular water supply from Thursday as pipeline replacement work is over, announced mayor Dayashankar Tiwari on Wednesday.
Alternate day supply was being implemented from January 6 in view of the work.
Vijay Zalke, chairman of water supply committee, told TOI that 54 million litres per day (MLD) was going waste due to leakages in Pench IV pipeline. The supply to the city is 630 MLD. “Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) had been requesting state water resources department (WRD) to allow use of its canal for water supply to the city. We got the nod in January and plugged the leakages through the contractor who has been assigned the maintenance work,” he said.
Zalke said the 54 MLD thus saved will help NMC in meeting the summer water demand of the city. “It will also help us in securing our allocation of raw water from Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) and also help us in water audit,” he added.
The general body meeting of NMC was held on Wednesday morning through videoconferencing.
BJP corporator Dharmapal Meshram raised the issue of 1,038 works worth Rs113 crore pending since 2019-20, even though work orders had been issued. Mayor Tiwari took note of the allegation and formed a three-member committee, headed by additional municipal commissioner and comprising chief engineer and chief accounts and finance officer, to look into the issue.
The mayor asked the committee to take a decision in this regard within 10 days, else the issue would again be referred to the House, which would then take appropriate decision.
NMC has not been able to spend Rs136.22 crore special grant sanctioned by Devendra Fadnavis, during his tenure as chief minister. This has to be spent by March 31, 2021, else the funds will lapse. Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B submitted a proposal before the House regarding works to be undertaken using this amount. The House unanimously cleared the proposal.
The works to be done through this special grant are: Constructing a road in Bhandewadi, strengthening Ambazari Lake bund, paying dues of OCW, Rs60 crore for cement roads phase 2 and 3, etc.
The mayor directed the standing committee to draft bylaws for granting leave to the municipal commissioner. There was difference of opinion between corporators and officials as to whether the commissioner needs standing panel’s nod for going on leave.