Bhopal: In the last 13 years at least Rs 2 crore public money has been spent for developing 21 fountains and ponds in various places. But only 13 of these fountains are functional, a Dainik Bhaskar report said. Now, the government has spent Rs 7.5 crore more on a Musical Floating Fountain but it will function only five months in a year.
The reason for the non-functional fountains is “poor maintenance” and “lack of water availability”, said the report.
But, Bhopal Municipal Corporation spends at least Rs 10 lakhs every year on the maintenance of these ponds and twenty-five officials have the duty to take care of them.
Four years ago, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had given the orders to install these fountains. In the order, it had said that oxygen level and aquatic animals in these water bodies also have to be maintained.
Now, these fountains, however, function only five months in a year. They don’t operate in severe heat or rains.
The largest fountain is the Musical Floating Fountain installed near the Van Vihar edge on Boat Club Road. It was not started due to a shortage of water this year.
- The report said that there is scarcity due to floating nature of water and the fountain, therefore, are not usable.
- Rs 6.5 crore has been spent on the nozzle of these ponds and an open-air theatre.
- Rs 1 crore has been spent on the electrification.
- The open-air theatre was constructed by cutting down 150 trees.
- In the 2005 Master Plan for the Musical Floating Fountain, it was clear that there won’t be any construction till at least 50 meters around the Full Tank Level (FTL). But, BMC still made pukka buildings around it.
- A fishermen’s group had challenged this in the Supreme Court. But in 2017 SC decided that wetland-related issues will be heard in the high courts after which no new cases were filed.
- OP Bharadwaj, City Engineer said, “The fountain is ready in the big pond. The decisions of starting it have to be taken by (BMC) officers. As it is a floating fountain, it will not operate run in the rainy days.”