Mussoorie sewage project going on at snail’s pace

Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, December 8

The slow pace of laying sewage pipeline project in progress under the JNNURM scheme has irked the residents, who are questioning the intentions of the department and have alleged a major scandal in the making in the near future in Mussoorie.

The government has sanctioned around Rs 2 crore for the survey of the project of drawing water from Yamuna to run the sewage system and provide additional drinking water to the town but many residents are of the view that it would lead to more delays. The whole exercise of laying the sewage lines presently in the town would become redundant.

Hugh Gantzer, senior citizen and travel author from Mussoorie, alleged that a major scandal is in the offing due to this lack of foresight and planning as sewage project cannot run till the time the adequate water arrangements are not made for it.

Gantzer opined that the survey work for drawing the water from Yamuna would presumably take at least a year and another five for completion of the project. “So why were the sewage pipelines being laid right now as there are chances they will develop snags due to the delay in work,” he asked.

Citing an example Gantzer says that nowhere in the world one waits for five years for a project after laying the foundation as it would result in several problems but the it is being done in the sewage project here.

He also said that the delay in starting the project would also allow sewage water to seep in limestone hills.Gantzer said that it appears that this lack of foresight and planning would only result in escalation of costs and the project will be held up due to absence of approval after the final estimate is submitted to the government.

Gantzer said that he is not accusing anyone of scam but as a lot of money would be wasted in the project due to culpable lack of planning it certainly has all the ingredients of becoming a major scandal.

The Mussoorie BJP general secretary Kushal Rana also believes that due to the lackadaisical approach of the Peyjal Nigam the project could turn futile.

Being skeptic of the project running smoothly he aired his doubt at the project running for fifteen years as only six-inch pipelines were being used in the project of such an enormous proportion.

Shoorvir, another resident, said that the STPs require electricity and 24 hours arrangement of captive generators to run smoothly.

“If the STPS do not work efficiently, the department will have no option but to hide behind the excuse of lack of enough water, sedimentation or clogging of pipelines due to snow, thus resulting in loss of public money, which would be really unfortunate,” said Shoorvir.

The residents are also of the view that a cover up in the name of survey for the project of drawing the water from Yamuna was happening and demanded a detailed enquiry in the whole matter.

When contacted the Executive Engineer Peyjal Nigam Deepak Malik said the funds for the survey of the water project from Yamuna has been received and the project will be completed within a year of approval of the estimates, which could be around Rs 120 crore .He also said that they were laying the pipelines as it was approved under JNNURM project.