[Urbanstudy] Corporators join hands, demand scrapping of PPP water scheme in Aurangabad

[Vinay Baindur]

after JUSCO's failure and soon to exit Mysore corporators are waking up to
the Hazard of PPP
everywhere Its only when bureaucrats are forced to make such decisions


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/Corporators-join-hands-demand-scrapping-of-water-scheme-in-Aurangabad/articleshow/45611446.cms




Corporators join hands, demand scrapping of water scheme in AurangabadNiraj
Chinchkhede
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Niraj-Chinchkhede.cms>
,TNN | Dec 23, 2014, 05.38 AM IST
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AURANGABAD: Barring the Shiv Sena, corporators cutting across party lines
on Monday joined hands to press the general body of the municipal
corporation for scrapping the Rs 792-crore water supply scheme that was
implemented on September 1 on public private partnership (PPP) model. The
corporators also threatened of severe agitation if the civic body fails to
carry out a detailed discussion on the issue in the general body soon.

Accusing the Aurangabad City Water Utility Company Limited (ACWUCL) of
recovering "unjustified" dues from the consumers, about 25 corporators
demanded a detailed clarification on the issue during the general body
meeting. But, mayor Kala Oza skipped it and adjourned the meeting
indefinitely. However, the corporators continued to raise slogans for their
demand. They said the project executing company (ACWUCL) is practising
"unethical" means.

The ACWUCL has recently started collecting annual charges for the current
year. It is collecting Rs 3,050 per connection (per annum) from the
residential category consumers. The tariff is different for commercial and
institutional category consumers.

NCP corporator Kashinath Kokate said the Shiv Sena-led civic body is
avoiding discussion on the matter. "We have been asking for it during the
last 3-4 meetings, but it seems that the mayor is trying to keep the
project in the dark. She doesn't want to listen to the views of the
corporators even as the ACWUCL is forcibly recovering dues from the
consumers. Anti-social elements have been roped in for collecting the dues
and they are harassing innocent consumers," he said.

Kokate said the ACWUCL has also failed to improve the city's water
distribution system in the last four months. "The AMC has paid more than Rs
10 crore to the company, but the people are still receiving contaminated
water," he added.

BJP corporator Prashant Desarda said the Shiv Sena is promoting the company
for its vested interest. "The civic body is paying heavy price to the
company. The company is recovering dues from the consumers. It seems that
the company is exploiting the civic body and the consumers," he said.

Congress corporator Promod Rathod said the project is not benefiting the
masses. "The consumers are being made to pay heavy price, but they continue
to get poor quality water. Besides, there is water scarcity in many areas.
Let us scrape the project in the larger interest of the city," he said.

Corporator Raju Shinde also raised doubts over the Shiv Sena for not
allowing discussion on the project. "Let the people's representatives know
what the company is doing. A detailed discussion is a must or else we will
take the agitation to the streets," he said.
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