Arbitrator for Pandesara water dispute soon

In view of the Gujarat High Court directive, the Surat Municipal Corporation has initiated steps to appoint an arbitrator to resolve the water controversy with the Pandesara GIDC industries.

A resolution for the appointment of the arbitrator is likely to be passed during the meeting of the SMC standing committee on Friday.

The SMC and Pandesara industries have been at loggerheads, ever since the water scandal was exposed late last year. SMC accused the industries of pilfering water from its supply network over the period of last five years, and issued water bills of Rs 47.30 crore to the industries.

The industries refuted the charges, saying they had not indulged in any wrong doing. Talks were held between the industries and SMC after the former deposited Rs 10 crore with the latter.

No breakthrough was achieved, as a result of which, the industries approached Gujarat High Court.

In view of the High Court directives, the industries deposited Rs 1 crore recently with the SMC. They will be depositing another Rs 3 crore with the SMC in two installments in the next couple of months.

The industries had sought appointment of an arbitrator so that the dispute over the water bills could be resolved at the earliest. The High Court permitted appointment of an arbitrator to settle the dispute and asked the industries to file a written application for the same with SMC.

The Pandesara industries met municipal commissioner G R Aloria on Saturday and submitted an application. Commissioner Aloria has forwarded the application to the BJP representatives of the SMC.

It is worth mentioning here that normally a city engineer is appointed as the arbitrator, but since in this case, he belongs to one of the disputing parties (SMC), a retired HC judge will be given the job.

The arbitrator will mainly look into two issues. First, he would determine the validity or legitimacy of the bills of Rs 47.30 crore and second, the water price charged from the industries.

"The dispute over water bills is likely to be resolved after the arbitrator is appointed.

The sooner it is done, the better for all of us. In accordance with the HC order, we have given a written application to the SMC. Now appointing an arbitrator, depends on the corporation.

"We are hoping that the dispute is resolved at the earliest," said an industrialist of Pandesara. Commissioner G R Aloria, mayor Snehlata Chauhan and standing committee chairman Shankar Chevli, could not be reached for comment.