Environment Ministry seeks status report on STPs

The Environment ministry today sought the status report on all sewage treatment plants (STPs) established with central funding across the country within a week after many of them were found to be non-functional.
At the same time, the ministry has also sanctioned three STP projects for pollution abatement on Ganga under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which are under implementation by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that while two STPs would be in Bihar, one will be in West Bengal.
"We have found that many STPs do not function 24 hours. Not any particular state but across the country. Not only those on Ganga but other STPs which are established with central assistance, also do not function. I have asked for status reports on all the STPs. They must work.

"Because there is no electricity... Because they can't pay... The state does not give them electricity, so many issues. We will take review on that," Javadekar told reporters.
He said STPs were national assets and they must remain functional.

"It is also an environment thing. I have asked for the status report in one week's time. This is not for only Ganga but for all the STPs established with central assistances. There are many complaints," the Environment minister said.
Elaborating about the STP projects which have been sanctioned, Javadekar said one STP, with treatment capacity of 43 MLD, costing around Rs 68.15 crore has been sanctioned for Beur in Bihar, another one at Karmalichak also in Bihar has also been approved which has a treatment capacity of 37 MLD and would cost around Rs 77.04 crore.

Another project of sewerage integration and sewage treatment plant has been sanctioned at Budge Budge in West Bengal. It has a treatment capacity of 9.3 MLD while the sewerage network is around 131.59 KM.
Officials said that the estimated cost of this project would be around Rs 145.98 crore and cover the requirement of entire Budge Budge city.
Officials said that Patna requires treatment capacity of 330 MLD while the city has installed capacity of around 109 MLD which is "mostly not in working condition".
A ministry statement said that the one STP in Saidpur is working with low capacity and efficiency.

Meanwhile a project with treatment capacity of 60 MLD was sanctioned at Pahari recently which is currently under bidding.
"With the present sanction of STP at Beur (43 MLD) and Karmalichak (37 MLD), capacity of 80 MLD will be added," the statement said.