: In a move that shows the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has little green values, it is yet to release the statutory and crucial annual document - the environmental status report (ESR) for 2010-11 - even though it is four months overdue.
As per the directives of the state government, the NMC has to prepare the ESR every year for studying the status of the city's environment in detail and come up with a time-bound action plan for conservation and development of environment. As the report takes into consideration air, water, land, greenery, infrastructure, amenities etc, the report comes handy for the NMC to utilize the studies. But the ESR has failed to come out of the NMC cupboard.
The city's greenery is taking a hit every day due to illegal felling of trees. Besides, the civic body has shown little interest in undertaking plantation drives. The NMC, which covers more than 217 sq kms, has failed to even create a separate department for environment and a special officer.
The strange allocation of portfolio in NMC is not helping the cause too. Currently, the traffic engineer looks after the environmental status report, garden inspectors take care of the trees, the executive engineer (Pench project) is responsible for the sewage system and deputy executive engineer (Pench project) has lakes and rivers under his purview.
The task to prepare the ESR has been handed over to an outside agency since 2002 overlooking strong objections on the quality and content of past reports. The agency has been given work without inviting tenders. The ESR for 2010-11 was to be submitted in June. In the meeting held in July, it came to fore that the draft of ESR has the same data as that of the previous and information mentioned in past reports.
To ensure a well-researched studied ESR, municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal had for the first time formed a committee of experienced officials. Chairman of the committee and executive engineer (JNNURM) Prakash Urade told TOI that he has been taking efforts to prepare a proper ESR. "I have asked the agency to circulate the draft copies to all departments concerned to ensure authenticity and benefit in future. For the first time, the departments have been given its own responsibilities in ESR. The appointment of the agency and its fees are not under my purview," he said.
Nasir Khan said the draft has been finalized and been sent for print. "The agency will submit the report within a few days. The agency has been given work without tenders as it is one of the consultant on NMC's panel. The ESR will be placed before general body for its consent," he said.
However, Khan refused to give information about fees being paid to the agency and details about the work order.
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