The much-delayed phase-two of the Rs 4,000- crore Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP),being carried out by the BMC,is facing fresh hurdles. The two waste-water treatment plants and upgradation of pumping stations are stuck due to non-compliance by MSRDC in one case and lack of environmental clearance by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in the other. The waste-water treatment plants are supposed to be built to treat sewage water before it is let off into the sea,to avoid damage to marine ecology. The plant to be built next to BMCs existing sewage pumping station at Bandra reclamation is stuck as the three-hectare municipal plot is now being used by the MSRDC that is not vacating the plot despite several letters by the civic body. The reclaimed plot was given to the MSRDC on a temporary basis by the BMC for a casting yard where girders were cast for the Bandra Worli Sea Link. Even after completion of casting girders,the MSRDC did not return the land arguing that it needed it for the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link. Chief engineer (MSDP) Vilas Bobde said even though there is no clarity on the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link or the coastal road,the MSRDC is yet to return the land. The entire plot has machines on it and we cannot start work unless these are cleared, he said. The plot is adjacent to the toll plaza at Bandra Reclamation. Deputy engineer (MSRDC) Avinash Purushe said they will soon begin activities of clearing the land. We still need some time until a decision is made whether we will need the land for future activities. After that we will begin clearing the land, he said. Meanwhile,the treatment plant proposed at Malad is stuck owing to lack of MoEF clearance. An MSDP official said a major part of the land required by the BMC in Malvani to build this plant is covered by mangroves and hence has been declared a protected forest land by the HC. This site is more important for the city since currently there is no sewerage outfall here. An outfall here is much needed,for which we need to upgrade the existing pumping station and build the waste-water treatment facility. However,we will need to destroy a lot of mangroves for setting this up and hence we are not getting the environmental clearance from the MoEF, he said.
