New panel to review mega water project

The committee, he said, has been asked to submit its report by the end of this month in view of the urgency of the situation. The circular has suggested that the committee take into account the reports prepared by various political parties on the ambitious project.

In a related development, Agarwal extended the date for submitting the tenders for the project by a month. The PMC had floated global tenders for the project. The six prominent companies in contention are Zoom Developers (UK and Korea), Kruger A/S International (Denmark and France), Bini Black and Witch, US), Klau Michel (Germany), B.G. Shirke and Sudarshan Chemicals. The two city companies have a tieup with foreign companies for the project.

The date was extended following a request made by the companies bidding for the project. They were expected to submit the tenders by September 22. However, the process of accepting the tenders could not be initiated as the civic body is yet to formally approve the project. The civic body is expected to take up the issue sometime this month.

The project received its first setback when the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed it and set up a group to study it. BJP’s partner Shiv Sena followed suit. Sena-BJP’s opposition came although the project had been approved by the State Government. BJP MLA Girish Bapat even criticised the State Government for approving the project.

Then the Pune Vikas Aghadi of Suresh Kalmadi and the Congress also set up their own study groups to review the project. Although, the PVA and the Congress groups are yet to submit the reports, their leaders say that they would oppose the project.