Cleaning The River By 2010 Is A Tall Order, Environmentalists Sceptical Of Govt Claims.

Arun Mathur, CEO DJB is confident that the DJB will go from strength to strength

Sas Nagar: The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) recently tested its sewage treatment plant. But there is neither an approach road to the plant, nor any arrangement to transport the sewage water to the main treatment plant. According to sources in GMADA, the work for the approach road has not started yet because of a legal tussle between Authority and farmers, who own the land over which the road will be constructed. The pipes, which will bring sewage water to the treatment plant, could not be laid as a railway crossing falls in the way and the pipes would have to be laid beneath the rail tracks, for which the GMADA has not yet received the permission. However, according to a GMADA official, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued directions to Railway authorities to fix the pipes beneath the track soon. While the treatment plant is yet to start functioning, sewage water, stink and filth have become breeding grounds of mosquitoes, posing serious health problems for Mohali residents. Jaspal Singh, a resident of Phase-IX, said that due to the foul smell emanating from the nullah passing through the phase, residents have been suffering for the past many years. Singh said the nullah was a seasonal drain but with the passage of time, the garbage and sewage water from Chandigarh and Mohali started flowing into it and now it has become impossible to livge near it. "I want to sell my house but there are no buyers and in case some people turn up, they offer very cheap price as compared to houses in other sectors or phases in Mohali,' he said. Singh said that there were hundreds of other residents in the area, whose health has been ruined due to the poor health condition around the nullah. "The authorities in the past have submitted many affidavits in the High Court promising to start the sewage treatment plant on a stipulated date, but before the date arrives, they seek further extension,' he added. When contacted on the issue, GMADA Chief Administrator Vijay Pratap Singh said the GMADA is already working on both the issues. "Chandigarh MC and GMADA have taken up a joint survey to plug the points from where the sewage is being thrown into the drain. Gradually, we will also be able to solve the problem of the stink emanating from the nullah' he added

The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority has started the testing of a 10 million gallon per day capacity sewage treatment plant constructed in the proposed Sector 83 of SAS Nagar. This is the first sewage treatment plant developed in SAS Nagar that will cater to the residential as well as industrial sectors up to Sector 82 in SAS Nagar. The capacity of the plant will subsequently be extended to 15 million gallon per day, as and when the need arises. The plant is constructed in approximately 23 acres. The construction work of the plant was allotted to M/s Enviro Control Associates (India) Private Ltd, Surat, on 15-2-2006, with an estimated cost of Rs 20.30 crore. The cost includes construction of the plant as well as its operation and maintenance for a period of five year after the date of completion.

The general body meeting of Pune Municipal Corporation witnessed a row over the effluents and sewage water being released into the Mutha-Mula Rivers on a large-scale. However, Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi admitted that at present the PMC only has half the number of sewage treatment plants (STP) needed for the city. Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale even called for White Paper about the entire situation from the civic administration, to which the commissioner asked for a "minimum period' of one month. The debate started with the Shiv Sena leader Shyam Deshpande pointing out that the civic body is satisfied only with desilting the rivers and not actually keeping them clean in the real sense. "Desilting the rivers is fine, but what about the huge quantum of effluents being released into these rivers?' he asked. Corporator Anil Shirole said, "PMC received Rs 200 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, some of which are being spent on the rivers. But what is the use of such huge funds, if unclean and sewage water is let out into the rivers.' Pardeshi said, "As against the need of the city, only half the number of STPs are functioning in the city. The total amount of sewage water generated in the city is 700 MLD, out of which only half is being treated and then released.' Corporator Vikas Mathkari asked the civic administration to carry out a probe into functioning of the agencies, who are given a contract of handling the STPs. Meanwhile, on Wednesday Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat had allegedly carried a pistol into the general body-meeting hall. NCP corporator Mohansingh Rajpal had raised questions about this during the same meeting. Thursday's meeting also witnessed some initial discussion on the same. While Congress corporator Aba Bagul objected to carrying weapons into the meeting hall, NCP corporator sought a metal detector at the entrance of the GB hall.