Pune Municipal Corporation's Water Affidavits' policy will go under scanner - DNA

The Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) 'water affidavits' policy under which builders in fringe areas of the city were asked to provide water to their projects through tankers or borewells will be reviewed, municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade told DNA on Monday.

Zagade has directed all the concerned departments to compile the details of the total number of water affidavits that the civic body has secured from the builders.

"Once we get these details, we shall review whether to continue with the policy of securing water affidavits from the builders. If we feel that this policy needs to be scrapped, we shall surely do so. The civic body will act in a transparent manner," Zagade said.

200 projects in Pune real estate market?

Although the civic chief refused to reveal the number of projects from where such 'water affidavits' were sought, top officials told DNA that such affidavits were obtained from nearly 200 projects in the city.

Housing projects in the eastern and other fringe areas of Pune:

This policy which was introduced in 2001 by then municipal commissioner TC Benjamin and was continued by his successors, Sanjay Kumar, Nitin Kareer and Praveensingh Pardeshi. It has led to a severe dependence on water tankers in a large number of housing societies in the eastern and other fringe areas of Pune.

'Water Affidavits' policy: Builder's responsibilty to supply water through bore wells and tankers:

Under this policy, the PMC allowed constructions in the fringe areas without providing water supply and directed builders to submit affidavits stating that they would take the responsibility of supplying water through borewells and tankers.

Although the affidavits signed by builders pledged that flat buyers would be provided a copy of the document, this was not done by most builders. The PMC also failed to make the policy public and kept the citizenry in the dark.

Thanks to the boom in information technology and real estate in Pune!

Zagade said the policy was introduced due to the boom in information technology and other sectors in Pune and the consequent high demand for housing.

"Although new housing projects started coming up, the civic body could not provide the basic amenities like water to these projects within a short span of time. Its resources are limited. It was at this juncture that the PMC started this policy of water affidavits," Zagade said.

Now, Pune Municipal Corporation plans to improve water supply, sewage, roads and transport facilities in Pune!

"Under this plan, work in all societies which are dependent on tankers for water would be taken up on a priority so that the residents get water from the civic body directly. We will carry out the work of laying underground pipes in a phased manner in these societies," Zagade added. Ranjan Dasgupta - DNA

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