The earmarking of funds by the Union government for setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs), among other projects, is expected to help the rejuvenation of lakes in the city.
The projects to be taken up using the funds are the all-important sewage pipeline restoration across the city, laying of new sewage pipelines in R.R. Nagar and setting up of five STPs in the Koramangala Chellaghatta Valley, totalling to the capacity of 75 MLD.
However, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javdekar’s announcement of a grant of Rs. 800 crore for the city’s lakes is being termed as misleading by senior officials in the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
The worth of several projects sanctioned for the city under the new Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation add up to Rs. 800 crore, of which the contribution of the Union government is only 33 per cent (around Rs. 270 crore).
Who pays how much
BWSSB has to pitch in with 47 per cent of the funding and the State government with the remaining 20 per cent. The State government has also earmarked funds for these projects in the 2016-17 budget.
But the main question is whether BWSSB has the wherewithal to pitch in with 47 per cent of the funds (Rs. 367 crore) to begin work on these important projects?
T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, chairman and managing director, BWSSB, said a part of the pro-rata charges collected during the last fiscal (Rs. 590 crore), set aside for capital expenses, will be invested in these projects. “But we will not fund the entire BWSSB contribution in the AMRUT scheme using pro-rata charges. We will also go for a loan with the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation,” he said.
AMRUT Projects
Construction of STPs at Hulimavu (10 MLD), Begur (5 MLD), Sarakki (5 MLD), Agara Lake (35 MLD) and K.R. Puram (20 MLD)
Providing sewage network of 110 km in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Kengeri
Restoration of sewage pipelines across the city
Construction of pump house near Koramangala Sports Complex and to extending of existing main pipe from sports complex to K&C Valley treatment plant
