Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, October 31
The Local Government Department is yet to fully utilise the capacity of the existing 132 sewage treatment plants (STP) in the state.
Of the total 2,128 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage generated in 166 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state, only 1,786 MLD of sewage is being treated at 132 STPs. The remaining sewage is being discharged into nearby drains and other water bodies.
Time-bound action plan
The Local Govt Dept has a time-bound action plan to ensure ‘reuse of treated waste water’ for gardening, road washing, construction and industrial purposes. The State Treated Waste Water Policy has been notified. Sources
This leaves a gap of 570 MLD, as per the status report on the compliance of municipal solid waste management rules filed by the state government before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Though the Punjab Municipal Building Bylaws, 2018, make it mandatory to use treated water, the lack of infrastructure to supply it to end-users has been hampering the cause.
The NGT has directed the Punjab Government to pay compensation of Rs 2,180 crore for the failure to scientifically manage solid waste and to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage so that past environmental damage can be restored.
To boost up sewage treatment, 111 more STPs with the capacity of 784.95 MLD are at different stages of construction or planning. Of these, 23 STPs are to be completed by March 31, 2023; 64 STPs are to be constructed by December 31, 2023; and land acquisition is under progress for the remaining 24 STPs.
On the front of using the treated waste water, only 20 per cent of the treated water at the STPs is being reused for irrigation purposes. Of the existing 132 STPs, 305 MLD of treated water of 57 STPs is being used for irrigation purpose. Another, 90 kilolitres per day of the treated water is being used for other purposes.
Sources said the Local Government has a time-bound action plan to ensure “reuse of treated waste water” for gardening, road washing, construction and industrial purposes. The State Treated Waste Water Policy has been notified, listing the guidelines for waste water collection, treatment and reuse.
A time frame — varying from six month to a year — has been fixed for the ULBs to put in place the infrastructure to supply the treated water to end-users. These bodies had also been asked to implement water metering policy in a year and undertake feasibility studies for the supply of treated water to end-users.
Buddha Nullah Project
Sewage Management: Deadline for the construction/repair of STPs in Jamalpur, Balloke, Bhattian to end by June 2023 (domestic)
Dairy waste management: Processing of 180 tonnes/day (TPD) of cow dung against installed capacity of 235 TPD at compressed biogas plant in Haibowal diary complex
CBG plant of 300 TPD capacity at Tajpur diary complex, Ludhiana, to be completed by November 2024
Industrial waste management: Three common effluent treatment plants of 105 MLA capacity made operational