Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 30: Commissioned in year 2010, the 10 Million litre Per Day (MLD) capacity Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Bhagwati Nagar here is defunct since November last year and the concerned Department has failed to take initiative for making it functional since then.
According to sources, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore approximately, the 10 MLD Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Bhagwati Nagar on which the work was started in year 1996 was commissioned in 2010 is presently defunct after functioning for eight years.
The plant was constructed by UP Jal Nigam on the basis of UPSAB Technology which is considered cheap and economical, sources revealed.
Sources said the Plant was rendered non functional after it showed negative results in Pollution Control Board (PCB) readings.
To show the satisfactory results in PCB readings, the Plant was to be renovated and upgraded and for the purpose sanction was accorded to its upgradation and renovation for both mechanical and civil works under Languishing Projects and tenders for the civil works were once floated but cancelled later for unknown reasons by the authorities at the helm of affairs with the result the Plant is totally defunct and the State exchequer has been put to a heavy loss.
Sources said it is not known when the upgradation of Plant was approved in September last year why the tendering process was delayed so far.
With the rendering of the plant as dysfunctional by the Department, the entire sewerage load has been put on 30MLD STP which was constructed by ERA in 2014 to cater to the areas of Janipur , Sarwal, Rehari , Shakti Nagar , Akhnoor road localities etc while the 10 MLD plant was made for the areas of Bhagwati Nagar, Mohinder Nagar, Talab Tillo, Puran Nagar and other areas.
Sources said the 10 MLD Sewerage Treatment Plant of Bhagwati Nagar was based on most efficient and economical technology available in India which has got minimum capital cost and maintenance charges. Constructed on gravity flow process the plant can be run on minimum usage of electricity also.
Sources said as compared to other available technologies like MBBR, MBR, HBR and ASP, which are high capital cost based and require very high operational and maintenance charges, the UPSAB technology is cheaper and better.
Sources said there is no threat of pollution in case plant is run under proper guidance and proper maintenance.
Expressing concern for making the plant defunct, sources said unfortunate part is that the plant after construction was handed over to UEED for operation and maintenance purposes which it failed.
Sources said UPSAB technology based STP plant at Bhagwati Nagar Plant was first of its kind in the J&K State which was constructed with State funds. Despite the fact that massive investment was made by Government on the plant and it’s connected works including sewerage network whose approximate cost was Rs 35 crore, the Department is not taking pains to upgrade the plant and restore it.
Sources said when such type of plants are run successfully in other parts of the country how the same has been made defunct here. This way the State exchequer is being put to a heavy loss and the public money goes down the drain, sources added.
Sources said the 30 MLD Plant will also some day become defunct on which additional load of 10 MLD plant will be put.
However, when contacted Chief Engineer, UEED, Ashwani Anand said that he had joined the Department some days back and held a meeting with the Engineers of the Department on the upgradation of the plant which has been put in languishing works and Department is on the job to upgrade it. The tender for upgradation of the project will be floated soon and instructions in this regard has been given to concerned Engineers by him, he added.
The CE said the Department is working that plant should have better results and “we are trying our best to make sure that the project runs in good capacity”.
Executive Engineer, UEED Taj Choudhary incharge of the plant said that the plant failed to PCB’s DOD and COD measures and its results were not upto the mark hence it was decided to put the entire sewerage into the second plant which was of higher capacity. The Department decided to renovate the plant and in this connection we sought the guidance of PCB for upgradation of plant and improving the technology.
He said technical experts views are necessary to be taken so that desired results come in future. However, Department is going to call comprehensive tender within fortnight with the condition that the concerned agency should ensure desired results of the plant under PCB norms.
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