NMC has no information about the pipeline it laid!

Times of India: Nagpur: Sunday, September 13, 2015.

The functioning of Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) Mangalwari zone has come under the scanner after an RTI query by the residents of Jaripatka revealed the zone officers were unaware of a sewer pipeline laid by them at Wasan Shah Chowk.

About 10 days back, TOI had reported how the civic body wasted taxpayers' money by laying a temporary sewer line rather than repair the existing one. Moreover, it was laid right above the water pipeline, thus putting the health of residents at risk. The aggrieved residents, who claimed there was no need for laying the new pipeline, filed an RTI enquiry asking various details about the pipeline including corporator's letter, marking location in the zonal map, estimate, work order, bill submitted by contractor and note sheet related to it.

In a shocking reply, the deputy engineer of the zone stated the zonal office had no details or documents available about the said work. Blaming the corporation for hushing up the matter, residents said engineers have some vested interest in the entire sanctioning process.

"For doing such works under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation, a proper step-by-step procedure is followed in which corporator releases a letter, an estimate is made and then work order is issued. The fact that the zonal office does not have this information proves something is fishy," said a resident Shankar Gulani. Deputy engineer Amin Akhtar said,

"The residents had sought information about the number of such temporary pipelines that we did not have. It is normal to lay temporary pipelines in case of damage to the original one."

TOI has a copy of the RTI query in which information about other such pipelines as well as specifically about the one laid at Wasan Shah Chowk has been sought. The residents further informed that after the repair work was over, NMC did not close the chamber at both ends.

There were still high chances that drinking water could get contaminated with sewage. NMC carried out incomplete work and now people are facing health hazards, they said.

In reply to an RTI query filed by residents, the deputy engineer of the zone stated the zonal office had no details or documents available about the pipeline work.