100% sewerage still far from reality, say experts

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 13

The 100 per cent sewerage and water supply in the city is far from reality as just three months have left for the deadline of the project to come to end. The company, Triveni, which has been assigned the project, has done only 27 per cent work so far in the city.

Experts feel that the major reason behind the failure of this project is that Triveni company, which has been given this work, had not done any sewerage work before and this company is expert in making water treatment plants.

As even around Rs 40 crore payment has also been made by the Muncipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) to the Triveni Company so far, but work of this amount is not seen anywhere in the city even where is sewerage laid by the company there are complainants regarding no connections have been done yet or there is problem in the leveling of the sewerage.

Sensing this project failing, even SAD-BJP councilors which earlier had passed this project in the general house meeting with much fanfare claiming that this project will change the face of the city, had also staged protest in the recent held general house meeting claiming to take back the project from the company. The civic body has hired the Noida-based Triveni Company to provide basic civic amenities to the residents. The company has the responsibility to improve water supply and sewerage connections in the city.

The company has reportedly done only around 27 per cent of its work in the 27 months. MCB has imposed penalty of total Rs 7 crore on the company, but despite imposing penalty it has failed to recover the penalty amount and it had only recovered the penalty amount just in lakhs that too from cutting from its payment.

Congress councilor Jagroop Singh Gill said when the project came up in the house, Congress councillors and senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal lodged their protest against it, but their views were ignored by the SAD-BJP councilors, which were thumping the desk on approving this and now they are shedding crocodile tears demanding ouster of the company.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said Triveni company is lacking behind in the project, only three months are left for the deadline of the project, so after three months we would see the situation and MCB would start conducting the work on their own after that. Triveni Company officials are blaming sewerage board for not given them front for the work. They have claimed that what front they have been given for the work, they have executed the work there, so they have any fault in delay of the work.