"We have picked up speed and by 2020 our target is not to allow untreated sewage water into river Ganga"
--------------------------------------------------Interview
Industrial pollution is just 20% of the effluent but it is particularly toxic. We mapped industries: significant pollution comes from clusters like tanneries in Kanpur, and other industries across Ganga like paper and pulp industry, distilleries, sugar, and textiles. We have started to build the Common Effluent Treatment Plants with chrome recovery, proper conveyance and also a pilot ZLD. Existing CETP at Kanpur was not functioning well, so we devised a plan for that.
Pollution Control boards (Centre & State) are tasked to do very thorough inspections and bring effluents down to set targets. In addition, 12 institutions like IITs, NITs, and NEERI, which are expert institutions are involved. This gives credibility to showcase notices we send to non-complaint units. If the unit is closed it can reopen after improvements. Online monitoring is also done so manual tempering is not possible. We plan to set up online monitoring for sewage effluent as well.
STP requirement was mapped city by city, town by town. We are creating capacity wherever a gap was identified. Total sewage generation was 3,000 MLD but capacity was just 1,400 MLD. A professional agency went to each and found only 700 MLD in good working condition. Old STPs will be rehabilitated and also 106 new projects will cater for demands of 2035.
We have taken up projects for creating 2,000 MLD new capacity -- which adds to 1,400 MLD existing capacity (fully rehabilitated). With this, we are close to the target of 3,600 MLD for 2035.
We are implementing 106 sewage projects. 28 are already completed and most of the other projects are under execution. Only 7 projects have not been tendered! So, most projects are either at an advanced stage of completion or are likely to be over in 2018 or 2019. We are using PPP for STPs on HAM funding model -- local bodies don't have the capability to run them, which has led to STPs misfunctioning in the past. Our HAM projects have a performance guarantee attached to each contract. Centre used to fund 70 per cent whereas 30 per cent came from the state. Now, Centre is giving them 100%. But the construction work, tendering, etc are all handled by the state governments. New state project directors were appointed and state executive agencies are tasked with this work.
Ghats are very important -- we are determined to provide the right kind of amenities for locals & pilgrims such as sanitation facilities, so the traditional lifestyles continue. Besides improving 115 individual ghats, we have connected a few ghats. In major cities, such as in Patna, a 6 km of river-front has been developed!!
Iconic ghats are found in Varanasi, Bithoor, Haridwar, Mathura, Vrindavan, Kanpur, Allahabad. We have employed locals to do regular cleaning and are using skimming machines to remove floating debris in highly visited sites like Kanpur, Patna, Allahabad, and Haridwar. More than 50 crematoriums will be modernised.
Afforestation is a major strategy. Forest Research Institute has made a very detailed project report and we are using CAMPA funds (ie Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority). Three types of planting are being done, using carefully selected species: 1. Along the river 2) Agricultural river escapes 3) Urban river escapes.
