JICA to launch survey soon on meteorology, topography for Nellore Water Supply

Nellore: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Mission is all set to launch preparatory survey covering meteorology, topography, hydrology, hydro-geology for Nellore Water Supply and Sewerage Project in a couple of months.

Although Hudco gave its nod to provide financial assistance to the extent of Rs 1,137 crore to the project to NMC, it approached JICA because the interest rate is only 2.5 per cent as against nearly 10.5 per cent by Hudco.

Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu and AP Urban Development Minister Dr P. Narayana are keen on starting the project immediately using Hudco funds and swap the loan with JICA funds later.

The tender process for water supply scheme is already completed and a contract firm Mega Projects along with R.V.R. Projects bagged the contract. In case of underground drainage, Chennai based L&T and Mumbai-based Kilari Infrastructure are in the race for the contract.

Notwithstanding the tender process, JICA would carry out detailed examination of the DPR such as the background of the project, basis of the cost estimate and contents of each component.

JICA survey team will also assess the applicability of Japanese technologies in waste water treatment and energy efficiency advance technologies in recycle and reuse of treated waste water for various purposes such as industrial use in Krishnapatnam Port and other industrial zones.

JICA is in the process of selecting a survey team with specialists to carry out the preparatory survey.

The team is expected not only to review the existing DPR and fine tune the scope and cost of the project but also to conduct necessary surveys to re-assess distribution network requirements lengths, location of water treatment and sewerage treatment plants, reservoirs and assess accuracy of alignment and so on, said an official in public health department.

He said that the preparatory survey would commence in May and is likely to be completed by December. MoU for the project with JICA will be signed in January 2017.

We’ll try to solve water woes soon: State transport minister
Minister for transport Siddha Raghava Rao on Thursday said that the government has sanctioned Rs 40 crore to solve drinking water problem in the city.

He inaugurated a drinking water pipeline laid at a cost of Rs 2.27 crore and a pump house constructed at Edugundla-padu to improve drinking water supply to the denizens.

Speaking on this occasion, he said that drinking water problem would be solved in the city soon. He further said that the OMC submitted a DPR requesting to sanction Rs 393 crore to take up comprehensive drinking water scheme and add-ed that if this scheme is grounded, the OMC could able to meet the drinking water for the next 20 years.

He said that Chief Mi-nister N. Chandrababu Naidu has agreed to release water from the Nagarjunasagar dam to meet the drinking water needs.

He said the roads and buildings department will hand over its roads in city to the OMC for better maintenance soon. Later, he inaugurated the traffic signal lights set up at the RTC bus stand in the city.

MLA Damacherla Janardhan said that drinking water problem would be solved in city within next six months.