Vadodara: A major controversy was sparked regarding the showcase project of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to provide treated sewage water to the Gujarat Refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).
The opposition Congress in the VMC has raised questions regarding the functioning of the existing sewage treatment plant (STP) at Chhani, which is proposed to be upgraded and used for supplying the water.
VMC has planned to sign a memorandum of understanding regarding the project with IOCL on Saturday in the presence of chief minister Vijay Rupani, who is in the city for the Chintan Shibir of the state government.
While the state government came up with the policy for the reuse of treated waste water only last month, the civic body has been mulling the project for quite some time. A proposal in this regard was put up before the standing committee last month and it forwarded it to the general board.
When the board took up the matter on Friday, Congress councillor Ami Ravat pointed out that the STP at Chhani was yet to be handed over to the civic body by the contractor operating it. “The STP is not treating water properly and the quality of water from it is at the most like sewage water after primary treatment. The VMC should not rush with the project,” she said.
Ravat added that the VMC should be cautious with the project. She said that it could lead to legal issues in the future and upgrading the existing plant could absolve the contractor, who built the current STP. After verbal volleys, Congress members also held a protest by sitting on the floor of the general board hall.
VMC and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) had been working to find solutions to various urban issues. As a part of this initiative, the CII was looking to identify industries that could use treated sewage from VMC’s sewage treatment plants (STP). The organization got a positive response in this regard from IOC.
IOCL has proposed to lift 21 million litres of water per day as processed water in the refinery. The petroleum major has also given specifications regarding the quality of water it will need.
BJP cornered over Sanjaynagar
Vadodara: For the first time, Congress members held massive protests over the Sanjaynagar housing scheme at Warasiya. The party demanded that the controversial contract should be terminated due to irregularities. The city unit, including its Vadodara president Prashant Patel, held protests at the VMC headquarters at Khanderao market and handed over memorandums to all councillors ahead of the general board meeting. VMC opposition leader Chandrakant Shrivastava raised the issue in the general board and sought that a report regarding the alleged irregularities should be brought to the house.
Times View
If claims of the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Chhani not functioning up to its optimal level are true, it could end up causing a major embarrassment for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation. While the plant may be upgraded as per the needs of the Indian Oil Corporation, the upgradation may let those responsible for the existing STP off the hook. The treated waste water supply is a showcase project not only of the civic body, but also the state government and the civic body needs to tread cautiously.
Congress members protest against Sanjaynagar housing project at VMC headquarters on Friday