GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today released the ‘Reuse of Treated Waste Water Policy’ at a high-level meeting at
Gandhinagar in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, looking to the future needs of the state.
Explaining the details of the policy, he said the state government planned to create water-grid, on the lines of power-grid, for reuse of the treated waste water from urban areas. The plan is to set up set up sewage treatment plant in each and every municipal corporation and over 150 municipalities. The plan is to fulfil 50 per cent requirement of water from retreated water in collaboration with the state’s industrial units, because the bulk of the retreated waste water is to be used by the industries.
He said it is to reduce the burden on underground and surface water. This entails creating new sources of water resources, check waste of precious water and recycling waste water.
Rupani said the month-long statewide
Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan launched on May 1 last to create additional water storage capacity shows the path of judicious use of resources to the nation.
He said the latest waste water reuse policy is to make Gujarat ‘panidar’, brimming with water, and leave drought behind. The government has undertaken task of setting up 8-10 desalination plants along the 1,600 km long coastline. Approval for one such plant has been received. Tender has been issued to build a barrage near
Bhadbhut on the
Narmada at a cost of Rs 2,800-crore. The Tupper Dam in
Kutch and
Aji Dam in Rajkot have been revived twice, thanks to Narmada canal waters.
Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said the retreated water would be available at a cheaper rate that from surface and underground resources, at the same time reducing the burden on traditional sources. The state’s per capita consumption of water from the Narmada and other irrigation projects is 600-700 litres per day for 6.50-crore people. He complimented the people for their support to Jal Sanchay Abhiyan.
