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Mumbai: Navi Mumbai, the neighbouring township that has been developing at a break-neck speed, has been adjudged the best civic body in Maharashtra in maintaining urban cleanliness and for providing 24-hour water supply.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), now catering to 1.1 million people living in a 108 sq-km area, has succeeded in not only providing the much needed 24-hour water supply to its residents but is also managing its solid wastes in a scientific manner.
At a function attended by Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and other dignitaries on Tuesday, the award carrying a prize money of Rs 5 million (Dh431,080) under the Sant Gadge Baba Urban Cleanliness Programme for the year 2005-2006 was presented to the NMMC team headed by its Mayor Anjani Prabhakar Bhoir.
Reddy, who gave away the awards, remarked how important it was for civic leaders to inspire people to take care of their cities. "Compared to even developing countries, our cities are just not good enough," he said. "Even some of the poor African cities are cleaner than Indian cities."
Targets
As for Mumbai, that has been getting enormous funding from the central government for its infrastructure, it has yet to grapple with its ever growing civic problems.
Navi Mumbai has been able to achieve its targets, say its officials, by focusing on its priorities. By purchasing the 450 MLD Morbe Dam at a cost of Rs 5.53 billion (Dh474 million) and laying transmission lines across the NMMC area, the dam will cater to the requirements of the city for at least the next 20 years.
The NMMC has developed a land fill site to handle 550 metric tones of solid waste dumped here daily and is considered to be the best managed in the country.
Water obtained from its three sewerage treatment plants, with a total capacity of 280 MLD, is used for industrial, construction and gardening purposes.
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