Will not waive Rs61.50 cr penalty on OCW: Joshi

Nagpur: Ruling party leader Sandip Joshi said penalty of Rs61.50 crore levied on private operator Orange City Water Private Limited (OCW) will not be waived off. He announced the decision after Congress corporators Praful Gudadhe and Sandip Sahare said the waiver would be a major irregularity.

TOI had, on November 15, exposed that board of Nagpur Environmental Services Limited (NESL), headed by mayor Nanda Jichkar, passed a resolution on May 2 to extend favours of over Rs200 crore to OCW. NESL is special purpose vehicle of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

Referring to the TOI news, Sahare demanded that NMC administration inform the house about the decision. “We need to oust OCW due to poor performance. Instead, NESL decided to extend benefits to OCW. NMC should recover whatever penalty was levied on OCW, and also continue levying the penalty till services improve,” he said.

Gudadhe slammed NESL for favouring OCW instead of taking action. “Corporators from all parties have pointed out deterioration of services ever since OCW took over. All corporators have time and again experienced water scarcity and contaminated water supply in their wards. NESL board headed by mayor is responsible to get done works from OCW. Still, NESL never discussed the problems and extended favours to OCW,” he said.

Joshi said whatever decision is taken by NESL board will require approval of standing committee and also general body. “We will not approve waiving of penalty on OCW when it comes up in standing committee. Even though majority is on our side in the house, we will not approve any type of relaxations. We will approve only extension of five years for completion of 24X7 water supply project,” he said.

Corporators from all parties slammed OCW for unequal water distribution, water scarcity and contaminated water supply. They also demanded end of 24X7 water supply project and ouster of OCW.

Mayor Nanda Jichkar directed NMC officials to levy penalty on OCW wherever they find negligence of the private operator.

Senior BJP corporator Satish Holey said 24X7 water supply needs to be stopped immediately to ensure equal water distribution to all parts of the city. “Some areas started to get contaminated water supply only after OCW came in. OCW also gave wrong information about quantum of water supplied to South Nagpur,” he said.

Independent corporator Abha Pande said NMC’s financial loss from water supply increased to Rs50 crore per annum since OCW was roped in. “Chennai is supplying 20 litres RO water per citizen every day. Here we are forced to drink contaminated water supply,” she said.

Corporators said OCW not supplying water despite laying water network years ago. They also said OCW was giving inflated water bills.

Joshi said need is for OCW to concentrate on its employees. “It is a fact that OCW frequently changes its staff resulting in all these problems. OCW officials do not respond to corporators’ calls. We will tell OCW to ensure officials respond to complaints of corporators as well as citizens,” he said.


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