IE : BMC Files Reply on City’s Pipelines : Mar 14, 2007

Responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) highlighting the vulnerable state of pipelines in the city, RR Hariname, hydraulic engineer with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has filed a reply on Wednesday stating that the corporation is carrying out regular demolitions of new encroachments.

The reply was filed before a division bench of acting Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice V C Daga. The PIL was filed by NGO Janhit Manch citing a Newsline report on the vulnerability of city’s water pipelines with only 10 men to guard it.

However, there were certain hurdles which BMC was facing—like the provisions in the Slum Act, difficulties in rehabilitating unauthorised but protected structures and resistance from anti-social elements.

Newsline had reported about the shocking possibility of the four massive 85-km long pipelines that carry almost 80 percent of the 563 million gallons of water becoming a soft target for terrorists.

The NGO had filed the litigation against BMC and the State government contending that they have overlooked the seriousness of protecting the water supply lines from slum encroachments, filth, sewage and water theft by tampering and puncturing the pipelines.

Hariname stated that most of the portions surrounding the trunk mains up to Balkum, is free of encroachment in Thane district. In the city area, certain places beyond Maroshi were encroached by slum dwellers.

Regarding the petitioners argument for constructing a pakka road on both sides of the trunk mains, Hariname stated that the existing private roads of BMC are enough. Regarding security, he stated that the trunk mains beyond Thane, departmental security guards are provided along at critical points and security vans keep a watch. Similarly the superintendent of Police (Thane Rural) has provided special security at Tansa and Vaitarna dams and also at vital points on trunk mains.

URL- http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=226776