Kolhapur: The civic administration directed the contractor to lay underground drainage pipeline at 100 metres per day to complete the drainage works before monsoon.Kolhapur Municipal Corporation has given the work order to a Pune-based contractor to carry out the drainage works sanctioned under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) in December last year. The National Green Tribunal, while hearing the case related to pollution of Rankala lake, asked the civic body to keep the court updated about the status of the work. KMC authorities visited Sane Guruji Vasahat, Shivganga Colony and Partala where the work is underway.Deputy hydraulic engineer of KMC R K Patil said, "Till now, underground drainage pipeline of upto 3km have been laid and 90 chambers have been completed. Currently, the pace at which the work is going on is very slow. We have asked the contractor to complete the work before monsoon as the same contractor is going to carry out other works mentioned in the project— construction of a sewage treatment plant, diverting the nullahs and setting up a pumping station. The contractor should ensure that pipeline along 100 metre stretch is laid every day so that the major work to lay 112km underground pipeline is completed before monsoon."The contractor said that owing to the uneven nature of the land, the work is taking time. They are also facing problem of disposing unearthed material. KMC authorities have asked the contractor not to dump the soil unearthed while laying pipelines at Mailkhadda and Nale Colony as it impedes traffic and causes inconvenience to pedestrians.Civic officials said they have referred the proposal of acquiring land for setting up the pumping station at Kasba Bawda to the state government. Local farmers are opposing the pumping station. If the pumping station is established, it will help KMC to stop and divert the sewage flowing from Kasba Bawda nullah into Panchanga river."The contractor has been given a deadline of 30 months to complete the works. The construction of the pumping station will take time as the land acquisition and compensation to the owners of the land need to be addressed. Until the government approves the proposal for land acquisition, we will hold talks with the farmers and ensure that the work begins as soon as possible," added Patil.

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