Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has asked the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Governments to speed up the execution of Namami Gange projects in their states.
Gadkari, at review meeting in New Delhi on December 5, 2018, discussed the progress of each sanctioned project in the two states with officials of his Ministry, state governments concerned, and the concessionaires. He directed all stakeholders to make urgent and concerted efforts to remove existing bottlenecks and ensure that the projects get completed well before the stipulated dates. He said cleaning Ganga and its tributaries is a major priority for the Government and to ensure this, it is absolutely necessary that the sewage infrastructure and other projects including network of drains and household connections are completed urgently and in a comprehensive way.
In Uttar Pradesh, a total of 70 projects costing Rs 9,405.92 crore have been sanctioned under Namami Gange programme. Of these there are 40 sewage infrastructure projects. Officials from the state informed that 11 of these projects are complete, 22 are in progress.
One of the major achievements in the state has been the recent interception and diversion of Sisamau Nala in Kanpur, the worst pollutant for river Ganga that emptied waste water from the tanneries into the river. Around 140 MLD water from this drain has been intercepted and is being diverted to an STP for treatment. Five other STP works are in various stages of progress at Baniyapurva, sewerage district I, Shuklaganj, Unnao and Pankha in the city of Kanpur, according to a PIB release.
In Varanasi, the projected sewage generation for 2035 is 400 MLD. The existing treatment capacity of the city is 242 MLD and the STP projects in progress will create an additional treatment capacity of 170 MLD. There is a JICA assisted project in six packages of which 3 have been completed and work is under progress for 3 packages including rehabilitation of old trunk sewer, pumping stations and STPs at Dinapur and Bhagwanpur and other work for pollution abatement. The other ongoing projects in the city include Trans Varuna Sewerage Network, 120 MLD Goithaha STP and 50 MLD STP at Ramana on Hybrid Annuity mode.
In Delhi, the JICA assisted Yamuna Action Plan Project is under implementation in Rithala, Okhla and Kondli drainage zones.