Govt approves 110 faecal sludge treatment plants in Vidarbha
| Date :12-Nov-2019 |
By Kartik Lokhande :
Initiative aimed at safe and regular management and treatment of faecal sludge in cities lacking sewage treatment plants
11 cities/towns of Nagpur district also included in the list
Of a total 384 cities in Maharashtra, only 73 have sewage treatment plants (STPs) that are fully or partially functional. Only these 73 cities/towns have facility for regular management and treatment of faecal sludge. Against this backdrop, and in accordance with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan goals, Maharashtra Government has drawn up a plan for having faecal sludge treatment plants using sludge drying bed (SDB) technology in 311 cities/towns.
These 311 cities/towns include at least 110 from Vidarbha region. Under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the urban parts of Maharashtra have been declared to have become open defecation free (ODF). Some of urban centres are working to become ODF+, and some others to become ODF++. A day ago, Nagpur city has become ODF++. However, many of the smaller urban centres -- cities/towns -- are facing problems with attaining the status of ODF+ and ODF++ for want of STPs. In fact, most of the toilets in these cities/towns have been connected to septic tanks.
These septic tanks are to be emptied when required. However, even if these tanks are emptied, these cities/towns do not have mechanism to treat the faecal sludge recovered from these. In an effort to find out solution to this widespread problem especially in smaller cities/towns, Maharashtra Government signed a memorandum of understanding with Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad. After study, CEPT suggested four technological solutions -- sludge drying bed (SDB), planted SDB, moving bed biofilm reactor, and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) approved all of these. However, according to an official in the know of things, of the four technological solutions suggested by CEPT and approved by NEERI, SDB was found to be ‘suitable and easier to implement’.
For, he said, material required for SDB was readily available to contractors and SDB required lesser electricity supply compared to other technologies. Further, faecal sludge treatment plant using SDB technology did not get affected even if there was interruption in power supply. Also, it made the operation and maintenance of plant easier. Hence, Maharashtra Government has decided to go ahead with SDB technology for faecal sludge treatment plant. As per the plan, 110 cities/towns of Vidarbha region have been selected for construction of these plants.
These include 60 from Nagpur division and 50 from Amravati division. Interestingly, seven out of 11 district headquarters are included in these cities/towns. These include Akola city (municipal corporation area), Yavatmal, Buldana, Bhandara, Gondia, Wardha, and Gadchiroli. The capacity of plant differs in proportion to population size of a city/town. For towns up to population size up to 15,000, the capacity of SDB will be 3 kilo liters per day (KLD). The capacity of SDB will be 5 KLD for population size between 15,001 and 25,000. For population size of 25,001 and 50,000, the plant will be of 10 KLD capacity. The 15 KLD and 20 KLD plants will be constructed for population sizes of 50,001-75,000 and more than 75,000 respectively. Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran has approved type plan and type estimate for SDB plants on November 6.
Urban Development Department has asked all the urban local bodies (municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats) of these cities/towns to finalise the short-term tender for the purpose of SDB plant construction by November 20, issue work orders expeditiously, and to strive for completion of the works by November 30. Ajit Sahebrao Palwe, Desk Officer, Urban Development Department, has issued a communique in this regard to the officers concerned. Importantly, the urban local bodies concerned have been asked to be implementing agency for the project.
At the same time, they have been asked not to alter size or proportion of type plan, and not to exceed type estimate by more than 5 per cent. While constructing SDB, it is mandatory to ensure during construction that water after treatment will go to anaerobic baffled reactor ‘through gravitational force’. The most important aspect of the directives is that the urban local bodies concerned will be responsible for development of a mechanism ‘to meet repair and maintenance costs’ of the SDB plants.
District-wise names of cities/towns in Vidarbha included in plan
Nagpur -- Kamptee, Katol, Saoner, Ramtek, Kalmeshwar, Narkhed, Kuhi, Mohpa, Mowad, Parseoni, Bhiwapur, Khapa.
Chandrapur -- Gondpimpri, Jiwati, Korpana, Pombhurna, Saoli, Sindewahi, Brahmapuri, Chimur, Gadchandur, Nagbhid, Warora, Bhadravati.
Wardha -- Wardha, Ashti, Samudrapur, Selu, Karanja, Sindi, Deoli, Pulgaon, Arvi, Hinganghat.
Gondia -- Gondia, Arjuni, Goregaon, Sadak Arjuni, Salekasa, Deori, Tiroda.
Gadchiroli -- Gadchiroli, Bhamragad, Dhanora, Etapalli, Korchi, Kurkheda, Mulchera, Sironcha, Aheri, Armori, Chamorshi, Desaiganj.
Bhandara -- Bhandara, Lakhandur, Mohadi, Lakhani, Paoni, Sakoli, Tumsar.
Amravati -- Chikhaldara, Nandgaon Khandeshwar, Teosa, Chandur Railway, Chandur Bazar, Dattapur-Dhamangaon, Dharni, Shendurjana, Warud, Daryapur-Banosa, Morshi, Anjangaon, Achalpur.
Yavatmal -- Yavatmal, Babhulgaon, Mahagaon, Maregaon, Zari, Ghatanji, Kalamb, Ner, Ralegaon, Umarkhed, Arni, Darwha, Digras, Pandharkawda, Pusad, Wani.
Washim -- Manora, Mangrulpir, Risod, Karanja.
Buldana -- Buldana, Motala, Sangrampur, Lonar, Deulgaon Raja, Jalgaon Jamod, Mehkar, Nandura, Chikhali, Malkapur, Sindkhedraja.
Akola -- Akola city, Barshitakli, Patur, Telhara, Murtijapur, Akot.