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The Environment Ministry today joined hands with Japan for building of sewage collection and treatment infrastructure in Pune at the estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore to be given as a loan by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
"This is a historic agreement for rural development of Pune. JICA is giving the loan for building sanitation facilities in the city. It is the beginning of a new chapter with the Japanese government," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said after signing an MoU with the Agency.
"Every time we have a Japanese cooperation, the work culture ensures that it has quality, completed within time and it is up to hundred per cent mark," he said.
The project will also focus on cleaning of Mula Mutha river in Pune by creating sewage network in the city as well as building 11 new sewage treatment plants (STP).
The project will create an additional treatment capacity of 396 mld over the existing capacity of 477 mld which will be sufficient to cater to the sewage requirement of the city by 2027.
"It will be done by creating 113.6 kms of sewer lines and rehabilitation of four existing intermediate pumping stations," Environment Secretary Ashok Lavasa said.
The project also includes installation of Central SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system for monitoring of STP functioning, construction of 24 units of community toilet facilities in slum and fringe areas, public participation and awareness programme, GIS mapping of sewerage facilities for better asset management.
Lavasa said that the project would reduce pollution load in Mula Mutha river, which is among 302 most polluted river stretches in the country, thus improving its water quality.
Pune has been growing as a centre of education, engineering industry and IT services sector. The population of the city has increased from 26,18,000 in 2001 to 31,96,000 in 2011 as per the latest census and is estimated to reach 57,45,000 by 2027.
