The Builders’ Association has agreed to abide by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) ban on all construction activity and cooperate with it. On Monday, a directive was issued by the PMC commissioner to ban all construction activity in the city until the revival of monsoon and until the water crisis is eased. While the builders’ fraternity has stated that the ban will affect construction works throughout the city, it has agreed after considering the present water crisis in the city and district. The vice-president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), Pune, Rohit Gera said that the association supports the PMC decision to cut back the use of water for wet construction processes as this is for the greater good of the city. “While our members will bear the brunt of the burden, unfortunately, customers and construction workers too will have to share the burden through this challenging time,” said Gera, reacting to the order. CREDAI on its part has given the assurance that it will continue to monitor and work closely with PMC officials so that on-site wet works can resume at the earliest so as to maintain the economic activity levels in the city. Another builder, who did not want to be named, said that he would understand if a directive was issued to stop the use of drinking water for construction activity, but that if all the works have to be stopped the construction labourers at the site will be the most affected. “We are not sure how much responsibility the developers will take on,” said the builder. The directive was sent to ensure that builders do not use water, borewells and tankers for construction and the entire thrust would be towards drinking only. The PMC has stated that those found violating the directive will be liable for punishment as per the law. Another builder whose construction activity was on, said that those projects under construction will run into huge losses. “We hope that the monsoon revives in the city and in the state,” he said. Some builders added that water scarcity issues have been addressed by the builders who recycle water, but a complete stop will mean huge losses to the projects and delay in handing out the houses to the customers. The Marathi Bandhkam Vyavsayik Association urged the PMC to allow the developers to continue with interior works like those to do with electricity or furniture that doe not require water, while allowing the ongoing work of slab construction before it starts taking action against the violators. “Most of the developers prefer to carry out interior works during monsoon. However, there are some who had already taken up the slab construction work and cannot stop with immediate effect so they should be allowed to complete it in the next few days,” said Sudhir Darode, chairman of the association, after meeting municipal commissioner Vikas Deshmukh. He said that electric or furniture work does not require water and it should be allowed to be carried out at the construction site. “We had to inform the PMC to avoid any action by the civic body for these reasons. The developers will abide by the PMC order on saving water and start implementing it but it will take a few days for total implementation,” Darode said. Additional Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Jagtap said that the civic administration has also directed all contractors to stop work on infrastructure development of the civic body. The municipal commissioner had earlier issued a once-a-day water supply and on July 11, issued alternate-day water supply after seeing no progress in the monsoon. Pune district collector Saurabh Rao had even stated that had the Met department given an indication that there would be no rain till July 15, they would have made an alternate plan for the same. He had stated that the district could have planned better. With the present water cut for the city, which is for alternate day, there will be 800 MLD water released. The directive for alternate day water supply is to be followed by municipal councils, gram panchayats, MIDC and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
