Japan helps Pune improve its sanitary environment, to fund Rs 1470 Cr Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River project
PUNE: Japan has come forward to the rescue of the people of Pune, and has offered to provide finances for the ambitious Rejuvenation and Abatement of the Mula-Mutha River project to develop sewage facilities such as sewage treatment plant, sewage pipe, and public toilets for common use in Pune city.
It is expected that this support will contribute to the improvement of the sanitary environment of the people in Pune by enhancing the quality of the river water.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of this project on Sunday in Pune when SUZUKI Satoshi, Japan Ambassador to India, and Murlidhar Mohol, Mayor of the City of Pune were also present on this occasion.
Japan’s JICA will provide ODA (Official Development Assistance) for the Rs. 1470 Cr Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River project.
Japanese companies such as NJS Engineers India Pvt. Ltd. is providing project management consulting services, and Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. construction of 11 sewage treatment plants, 3 pumping stations, and 53.6 km of sewer pipeline, as well as 15 years of operation and maintenance of these facilities, in the form of joint ventures (JVs) respectively.
Environmental pollution in Pune city, state of Maharashtra, is being caused by the dumping of untreated sewage into River Mula, River Mutha, and River Mula-Mutha, due to the limited capacity of sewage treatment. This adversely affects the health and living conditions of not only the citizens of Pune but also the people living downstream of these rivers.
The Japanese ODA loan will be provided to develop sewage facilities such as sewage treatment plants, sewage pipes, and public toilets for common use in Pune city. It is expected that this support will contribute to the improvement of the sanitary environment of the citizens by enhancing the quality of the river water.
In his address, Ambassador SUZUKI said that Pune is one such place where the Indo-Japan friendship is showcased. At present, 193 Japanese companies are established in Pune and about one-third of them are head offices of their Indian business.
In 2006, Pune and Okayama Prefecture of Japan signed the Friendship Exchange Agreement. The embodiment of this friendship between the two can be seen in the form of the “Pune Okayama Friendship Garden,” which is a replica of the famous Korakuen Garden in Okayama. On March 4, a Japanese Language Speech Contest was organized in Pune.
Ambassador SUZUKI said, “With the commencement of the “Project for Pollution Abatement of Rivers Mula-Mutha in Pune,” supported by JICA, we are witnessing the future of India-Japan relations unfold in front of us….I am delighted to learn that the construction work of 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs) and sewerage networks as well as their operation & maintenance for 15 years have been delegated to the joint venture of Enviro Control, an Indian company, and Toshiba Water Solutions, a Japanese company.”
In a Glance: Other projects inaugurated/launched by PM Narendra Modi in Pune on Sunday
Unveiling of statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his visit to Pune, by unveiling the grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Pune Municipal Corporation. The seated statue made of gunmetal is 9.5 feet tall and weighs 1.85 tons.
Pune Metro Inaugurated: A dream come true for Punekars.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 12 km stretch of the total 32.2 km Pune Metro Rail Project today being built at a total project cost of Rs 11,400 crores.
Significantly, Prime Minister bought the first ticket of the Pune Metro before commencing his ride from Garware station to Anand Nagar.
Pune Metro Rail Project was sanctioned by the Government of India in 2016 and the Foundation Stone was laid by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 26th December 2016.
The Metro will greatly improve urban mobility in the Pune Metropolitan area, which is among the fastest-growing urban areas in the country.
Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Rejuvenation And Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River projects under the ambitious National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) set up by the Centre. The Project will be implemented on the concept of “One City One Operator” at a cost of over Rs 1470 crore, which includes the construction cost and operation and maintenance for 15 years period.
Rejuvenation of the Mula-Mutha river will be done along a 9 Km stretch of the river. The projects involve works such as river edge protection, interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activity, etc.
A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed under the project, with a combined capacity of around 400 MLD (million liters per day) with a 55 km long Sewage carrier pipeline. The capacity of each sewage treatment plant is 396 million MLD. PMC will also implement a River Front Development project on the lines of Sabarmati Riverfront development carried out in Ahmedabad.
The project, being funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA is likely to be completed in approximately 3 years.
Towards clean and green transport of Pune city
PM Modi dedicated a fleet of 150 Electric Buses, giving a boost to green urban mobility in Pune. An Electric Bus Depot, equipped with a charging station at Baner was also inaugurated.
R K Laxman Art Gallery
PM also e- inaugurated the R K Laxman Art Gallery Museum located at Balewadi in Pune. The Gallery showcases cartoons drawn by the legendary cartoonist R K Laxman. The main attraction is a miniature model based on the village of Malgudi of the ‘Malgudi Days’ fame.
Symbiosis Arogya Dham inauguration
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the Golden Jubilee celebration of Symbiosis Institutions and inaugurated the integrated health complex ‘Symbiosis Arogya Dham’
Symbiosis, established by Dr. S B Mujumdar, began as a small international cultural centre with the objective of bringing foreign and Indian students together to promote international understanding and brotherhood. Today, it is a multi-location educational institution with campuses spread across Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Noida. Symbiosis has over 45,000 students from all states of India and 85 different countries.
The ‘Symbiosis Aarogya Dham’, spread over 70 acres of land at the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) Campus at Lavale, Pune. The Aarogya Dham consists of the Symbiosis Medical College for Women which is the first fully residential medical college for girls in the state of Maharashtra. The 900 bedded Symbiosis University Hospital & Research Centre (SUHRC) is attached to this medical college. Institutes/faculties of health sciences, biological sciences, sports sciences, nursing, yoga, and emotional health, etc are also housed in the integrated Arogya Dham.
Symbiosis has adopted 23 villages around the University Campus to provide quality healthcare through the ‘Mobile Medical Van’ and digital literacy through the Symbiosis Rural Digital Literacy Lab’.
