Govt sanctions 36 STPs to keep Ganga clean in Uttarakhand

The government had sanctioned 36 sewage treatment infrastructure projects in Uttarakhand to rejuvenate River Ganga.

According to National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), through the Namami Gange project, the central government is working on a mission to ensure that every section of Ganga in the state receives clean water.

The scope of the project includes intercepting major drains falling into the river and diverting them to sewage treatment plants (STP).

Uttarakhand has 36 sewage infrastructure projects of Rs 1,373 crore that was sanctioned to create 195 million litres per day (MLD) STP capacities and lay a 184 km sewer network. Out of which 34 projects are completed while the rest two projects are to be completed soon.

The Chamoli district recorded a spike in untreated waste in the last few years and now has a 1.12 MLD STP in Gopeshwar. This plant is based on electric coagulation, where 7 MLD is being treated.

Uttarakhand Pey Jal Nigam Nodal Officer, Jagdish Kanderi, said that sewage flowing directly into the river is now being treated with the help of 1.12 MLD STP at Gopeshwar.

Six STPs have also been installed in Rudraprayag to prevent waste dumping into Ganga.

The STPs have an electro-coagulation system, where with the help of anodyne and cathodyne processes, the wastewater gets separated and later treated as fresh water.

Kanderi said that under the Namami Gange Programme, NMCG had installed 26 MLD STPs in Rishikesh. Along with this STP, three sewage pumping stations have also been developed, and renovated two old sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS). Further developed two more STPs.

Kasawan Nallah, one of the biggest drains in Haridwar that used to contaminate Ganga severely, has been tapped entirely and diverted to 14 MLD STP in Sarai.

NMCG has also constructed several new ghats and crematoria to keep the river clean.

Shiv Ghat and Chandi Ghat in Haridwar and Nandprayag Sangam Ghat under Alaknanda and Nandakini have been developed. Dustbins, solar lights, and drinking water facilities are available to keep the ghats clean.

NMCG and state authorities have also launched an extensive public awareness campaign to educate the people about keeping the river pollution-free.

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