Complete Namami Gange works by Dec 2018: Min

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari has instructed officials and contractors related to Uttarakhand Namami Gange project to complete work on all sewage treatment plants (STPs), ghat and crematoria projects by December 2018. The Minister said that officials should work in close cooperation with State Government, District Administration and Municipal Corporation for smooth completion of the projects. He also suggested that the possibility of using treated sewage water in industries in Dehradun and Haridwar and for irrigation purposes should be explored. Gadkari said this while chairing a meeting in the national capital recently.

Stating that Bihar and West Bengal Governments are giving monetary help to house holders for House Service Connections (HSC’s), he instructed officials to take up the issue with Uttarakhnad State Government and link the HSC’s with main sewer line at the earliest.

 It was stated in the meeting that 16 out of 31 sanctioned STP projects in Uttarakhand are complete with work underway on the remaining 15 STPs. Projected sewerage generation in the year 2035 in Uttarakhand is 122 MLD while the existing treatment capacity is 97.6 MLD. The projects under implementation will create a capacity for treating 131.7 MLD sewage after completion. In Haridwar there are four projects under implementation. These include I&D project at Jagjeetpur and Sawai (17.1 km), STP at Jagjeetpur and Sewer Network Project at Arihant Vihar and New Vishnu Garden, Kankhal. The city generates 74 MLD of sewerage while the existing capacity is 63 MLD. The ongoing projects will create 82 MLD capacity, so after completion of these projects, the city will have a treatment capacity of 127 MLD. 

Other projects under construction in Uttarakhand include one STP and I&D at Muni Ki Reti,  two STP projects in Rishikesh, O&M work at Tehri, upgradation of STP at Uttarkashi, one STP and I&D, and one upgradation  at Srinagar and STP and I&D projects at Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli-Gopeshwar, Joshimath and Badrinath. In addition to these, STP projects at Tapovan Devprayag, Gangotri and Kirtinagar have already been completed

I&D works at Dehradun, STP work at Srikot and work of Loknath Nala, Haridwar have been undertaken in 2018-19 with DPRs for these projects under preperation.

Apart from construction of new STP’s, upgradation of old STP’s and I&D works, 21 ghat and 22 crematoria projects are also going on. Of these, work at 10 ghats and nine crematoria are complete, and the rest will be completed by the end of this year.

Most contractors assured the minister that no clearances, permissions and formalities are pending and after the rainy season work will move on in full swing. Senior officials also assured him that they would complete all the projects till December 2018 barring few difficult locations were work is being delayed due to geographical and other factors.