1,250 MLD untreated sewage let into waterbodies, FM Palanivel Thiaga Rajan seeks report
Finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, has sought a report on STPs, with details of capacity, pumping, utilisation and operational process.
Published: 25th February 2023 07:10 AM | Last Updated: 25th February 2023 07:10 AM | A+A A-
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CHENNAI: A total of 1,250 million litres per day (MLD) of untreated sewage is being let into water bodies in cities across Tamil Nadu due to a failure to operate sewage treatment plants (STPs) to their full capacity, sources said. The matter sparked concern during a review of mega infrastructure projects implemented by the state.
Finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, has sought a report on STPs, with details of capacity, pumping, utilisation and operational process. Sources said work to commission STPs with an additional capacity of 60 MLD has been completed by the Municipal Adminstration and Water Supply (MAWS) department.
The minister was reviewing the status of 236 major infrastructure projects across TN with an outlay of Rs 1.19 lakh crore undertaken by the departments of MAWS, Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce, Housing and Urban Development and Highways and Minor Ports. Sources said , out of the 236 projects, 49 worth Rs 21,012 crore have been completed while 177 projects worth Rs 98,698 crore are yet to be done. Project delays have been blamed on the rains, fund delays from the centre and problems with contractors.
One project has been grounded in the underground sewerage system construction in national highways of TN as the NHAI has denied permission. The state is working out an alternate solution for this. Among soon-to-be-completed projects is the Intelligent Transport System for Greater Chennai, backed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The ITS will help build an efficient traffic system to meet increasing demands in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. Under this, the bus information system is being developed with GPS devices on state buses synchronised with geocoded bus stops. This way, passengers will be able to get information about congested routes and the expected travel time, allowing them to plan better.
During the review, the departments were told to finish the projects funded by external agencies like Asian Development Bank, JICA, World Bank and the German Development Bank KfW as poor progress will impact future funding.
