GCDA mulls using treated water for turf maintenance

The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) will consider using treated sewage from the plant at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor to water the turf.

The recommendation was made by the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) while exploring ways to ensure the proper functioning of the plant.

The authority will consult Kitco, its technical consultant, on the suggestion of the board. According to the original proposal, treated water had to be let into drains, it said.

The authority claimed that the plant was in working condition despite having a tertiary filtration system.

The Kochi Corporation has informed the board that the flow in the drain to which treated water is discharged now will not be affected. It will monitor Perandoor canal (to which the drain leads) and Edappally canal, the two main streams connected to the Edamula stretch of the Periyar. The civic body informed that the drain was recently reconstructed under the AMRUT project.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had pointed out that the only question to be considered in the case was the ‘precautionary principle’ applied for proper management of the stadium, which is used for public functions and games, and that it was likely to generate waste and sewage.