Chanda NGO to go on hunger strike against substandard STP work

Chandrapur: Social organization Sanjivani Paryavaran Samajik Sanstha (SPSS) will launch a hunger strike from Monday to press the demand for a third-party inquiry against allegedly inferior quality construction of sewage treatment plant (STP) and sewage pipeline meant for New Chandrapur habitation of Mhada in the city outskirts.
SPSS president Rajesh Bele alleged that the construction of sewage pipeline and the 24 million litres per day capacity STP — coming up at the cost of Rs53.29 crore — is of substandard quality. “Cracks have been discovered on the walls of the STP. Out of 2,594 manholes of sewage line, 1,850 have developed cracks due to poor quality construction,” he said.
Bele added that work on the pipeline, which is about 60-75km long, has been found to be “in flagrant violation of the government terms and conditions”.
Following Bele’s complaint, guardian minister Vijay Wadettiwar had ordered Mhada to conduct an inquiry into the allegation. “Despite ostensible evidence of substandard construction, the inspection team of Mhada officials backed the contractor and gave a clean chit in its report,” the SPSS president said.
Moreover, Bele added, “No inquiry was conducted regarding my complaint about the Rs470 crore solvency certificate submitted by the contractor.” He charged that the contractor had started painting the STP, still under construction, to cover up the cracks and substandard work.
Wadettiwar said he has sought the inquiry report from Mhada officials and will go through it. “If work is found to be of substandard quality then future bills of the contractor will be stalled. Strong action will be taken against the officers concerned if corruption is found in clearing the work,” he told mediapersons.
Mhada chief officer Mahesh Kumar acknowledged receiving a letter from Bele regarding his hunger strike. He said Mhada officers have submitted their inquiry report to the collector. “If the organization still feels there are lapses in the work, it is free to seek third-party inquiry through the collector,” Kumar added.