MC procures sub standard RCC pipes

Was it oversight or did the municipal corporation deliberately opt for pipes not suited for sewerage work in one of its projects?

The 10 million gallon discharge (MGD) sewerage treatment plant near 3 BRD, which is under construction has hit a road block after the contractor started laying sub-standard reinforce cement concrete (RCC) pipes on the dividing road of Sector 31 and Industrial Area, Phase-2 of Chandigarh.

Hindustan Times team visited the site and found several RCC pipes of 1,600 mm lying broken on the side of the road. The contractor brought these pipes that were to be connected with STP.

However, when the superintending engineer, public health department Ramesh Chander Diwan was contacted, he admitted that these pipes were cracked and damaged at time of laying. Diwan said, "Immediately, we told the contractor to remove the pipes and replace it with the better quality pipes.

Even we have not paid him the money for the said pipes. The contract has been allotted to Hyderabad based company "Ramky"." He also added that the said STP will start functioning in December.

BJP councillor Davesh Moudgil said, "It is a serious issue that how the MC officials brought these pipes that were found at the site. Whether any official was deputed to inspect the pipes and other specifications and other tests required before accepting the pipes to be used at site were conducted?

We want concerned authorities to fix the responsibility of the concerned officials, who recommended inferior quality pipes."

Speaking to HT, a retired executive engineer of Chandigarh said, we do not know why the civic body is using such heavy pipes, as the brick sewer could have been a better option.

Also another drawback in the RCC pipes is that there are joints after every 2.5/2 meter of length, which can become a source of leakage and damage the sewer.