Chandigarh: City development gets Rs 20 crore AMRUT push

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 3

Municipal Corporation has got Rs 20 crore from the Centre under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.

According to the MC, the amount has been released as an incentive to the ongoing works being carried out under the existing Rs 180-crore AMRUT projects. Of the Rs 180 crore, Rs 33 crore was released earlier and used on various projects, including the laying of sewer lines in Burail and pipes for tertiary-treated water in the city.

On-site testing

Two labs will conduct on-site testing of water samples for parameters such as pH, residual chlorine, TDS, conductivity, outdoor & turbidity.

All-woman crew

For two new vans, we will ensure that the entire staff, including drivers, are taken from woman self-help groups. Only lab technician could be male — An official

This additional Rs 20 crore has to be used in four years. The civic body has planned to procure two mobile water-testing laboratories for conducting on-site testing of water samples and rejuvenate two existing village ponds under the Amrit Sarovar programme. Besides, the fund will also be utilised for other infrastructural works.

At present, the MC has one mobile testing van and a water-testing facility at the waterworks, Sector 39.

“For the two new vans, we are going to ensure that the entire staff, including drivers, are taken from woman self-help groups. Only lab technician could be male. Civil work tenders will also have a condition that they must hire women from self-help groups,” said an official.

The two mobile labs will conduct on-site testing of water samples for various parameters such as pH, residual chlorine, TDS, conductivity, outdoor and turbidity. The mobile labs would identify issues concerning water quality on the spot.

The official said the vans would ensure that water being supplied to residents met quality parameters. These would conduct on-site testing to identify any initial indication of poor quality, so that remedial action could be taken immediately.

The vehicles would operate daily. These would collect mandatory samples from waterworks located in various parts of the city, rehabilitation colonies and villages besides random samples from government buildings, hospitals, markets and the area from a complaint is received.