DON’T BY-PASS MUNICIPALITIES WITH OTHER AGENCIES FOR WATER AND SEWAGE TREATMENT, ALLOW THEM TO RAISE FUNDS THOROUGH MUNICIPAL BONDS ONLY AGAINST VIABLE PROJECT, CHAIRMAN, DFC

Chairman, Delhi Finance Commission, Dr. Sudhir Krishna on Monday insisted that municipalities and municipal corporations should be retained as “nodal agencies” to treat city’s waste and sewage and be provided with teeth to raise funds for undertaking such jobs through bonds and betterment taxes only against viable projects.

Dr. Krishna while addressing a Conference on “Fast Tracking Development of STPs for Swachh Bharat” under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today cautioned, “by-passing civic bodies with their replacement with bodies like Jal Board etc. would not be a viable alternative given their expertise in field of sewage and water treatment”.

He strongly felt that with municipal bonds and betterment taxes, municipalities can garner funds against viable projects to part finance water and sewage treatment in cities like Delhi with acquisition of latest technologies in the field of STPs of course, with government support and monitoring.

According to him, municipalities should not be by-passed for the aforesaid jobs and emphasis should be on integrated approach so that the implementation becomes flawless.

Additional Secretary & Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Mr. U P Singh who delivered the valedictory address in the conference, however, admitted that not much has happened on Namami Ganga project so far adding that the process would shortly pick up the accelerated mode.

According to him, the government has an open mind to cleanse the Ganga and Yamuna with involvement of STPs and equally with participation from ecological solutions as diverse views have been cropping up on STPs.

Mr. Singh declared that the government of the day has began to plan also to cleanse rivers such as Kali, Hindon and Gomti with top priority being attached with Namami Ganga Project and results would soon be forthcoming.

Among others who sought implementation of Namami Ganga Project without any further delay comprised Global Head, Business Development, VA Tech WABAG Ltd., Mr. Rajneesh Chopra; Sr. Vice President, PHD Chamber, Mr. Anil Khaitan and its Director, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta.