BMC names consultant for Gargai project

Mumbai: As the Gargai dam project will affect nearly 720 hectare of forest land, BMC has decided to appoint a consultant for obtaining environment and wildlife clearances for the same at a cost of about Rs 2 crore.

The civic body has appointed Naik Environment Research Institute Limited (NERIL) to obtain permissions from the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) and the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for the project, prepare a report of tree cutting and alternative plantation, and make estimates for the project. The total cost of consultation services is Rs 1.96 crore.

When completed, the Gargai dam project will supply 440 million litre water daily to the city; it is important in terms of bridging the gap between the supply of and demand for water in Mumbai. Incidentally, the civic body supplies only 3,750 million litre of water daily as against the actual requirement of 4,200 million litre.

Estimated to cost Rs 2,725 crore, the project, to come up at Ogade village in Wada taluka, includes building a dam, water tower, and 2.5km tunnel between Gargai and Modaksagar lakes. As 7.5 square kilometre area of the dam falls in the forest land of Tansa sanctuary, seeking permission from NBWL and MoEF is paramount for the civic body. Additionally, six villages will go under water because of the project for which a fixed rehabilitation policy is required. “NERIL is one of the topmost consultants in the country, having made plans for Nathpa Jhakri hydro power station in Himachal Pradesh and Upper Tapi stage II project,” said a senior civic official.