Detailed project reports (DPR) prepared by consultants for water infrastructure projects need to follow prescribed standards to prevent problems that arise later during the implementation phase. This was the view of experts who took part in a panel discussion on improving the quality of reports organised by Enzen Global Solutions in the city on Thursday.
“The current methods of preparing DPRs are not in line with the formats prescribed by international bodies like the World Bank and other institutions. They do not take into account factors like land availability, right of way and power supply. This is done in order to ensure a speedy project report preparation time and also because of various departmental and political pressures,” said Easwar AP, Senior GM, Enzen Global Solutions.
During the discussion, the impact of such improper DPRs on the actual work carried out by the contractors was also discussed. “Many a time, contractors are given the work and they face delay in acquiring land or getting power supply and this leads to further delay and escalation of costs,” Easwar said.
M N Thippeswamy, former Chief Engineer, BWSSB, who took part in the discussion, shared the experiences of BWSSB projects affected by consultants who stuck to a format prepared earlier and did not even bother to visit the site before writing the DPR.
The panel recommended provision of more time and remuneration to consultants who make DPRs in order to encourage more detailed project reports and the need for a single governing agency to be appointed which would have control over all water related issues in the state.
The other panelists were Prof Mohan Kumar M S, Professor of Water Resources Engineering, IISc, Bangalore Dr Rama Prasad, Professor of Civil Engineering (retd), and M Sankaranarayanan, former Joint Advisor (PHEE) Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), Ministry of Urban Development.