Ggm: Civic bodies step up to curb illicit drain connections

According to officials, civic bodies will conduct inspections to unplug illegal sewer connections and prevent new points to the underground stormwater drain network

The civic authorities in Gurugram have intensified enforcement to curb unauthorised connections to the master drain legs I, II, III, officials said on Wednesday.

Last week, GMDA officials had identified 53 tapping locations in leg II and III of the stormwater drain merging into the Najafgarh drain or the Sahibi river in Delhi.

To be sure, leg I is Nathupur-New Palam Vihar, leg II is from Sector 42 to 107 and leg III is Badshahpur drain.

According to officials, teams of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will conduct inspections to unplug illegal sewer connections and prevent new points to the underground stormwater drain network of Sihi and Kherki Dhaula in Sector 84, Khanda near Anjana Colony, Delhi Gurugram (NH 48) expressway upstream near Info Tech Park, Badshahpur village near Southern Peripheral road (SPR) and Rezangla Chowk, among others.

Last week, GMDA officials had identified 53 tapping locations in leg II and III of the stormwater drain merging into the Najafgarh drain or the Sahibi river in Delhi. Now, three more points near Rezang La Chowk and in Sector 76, other than four on Old Delhi Gurugram road in Udyog Vihar, have been identified in leg-I of the stormwater drain starting from Nathupur to Palm Vihar.

To be sure, underground tapping locations mean the unauthorised sewage connections have either been disconnected or they have been diverted to sewage treatment plants (SWP) via sewer lines and pumps to prevent direct pollution of the drains flowing to the Yamuna river.

“Around 20 illegal connections were cut before Monsoon last year; similar measures are expected to begin soon. Our vigilance teams have been instructed to closely monitor underground drains and ensure no new sewer connections take place,” said a senior MCG official, requesting anonymity.

Earlier in January, during the Yamuna Clean Action Plan meetings, the civic authorities were directed by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to ensure that biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels remain below 10 mg/L in the stormwater drain. Currently, all three legs have BOD between 80mg/L and 110mg/L, far above the stipulated threshold decided during the meeting.

HSPCB officials said some tanker operators in Gurugram’s municipal area are illegally dumping sewer waste into open spaces and drains. “Along with the help of local police, a strict action in the form of FIRs will be taken against illegal dumping into drains, causing serious environmental damage and violating the pollution control laws,” a senior HSPCB official said.

HSPCB officials said an action plan was recently formed by jointly formed by the civic bodies to tap 55.4 million litres per day (MLD) of wastewater in Leg-I, 78 MLD in Leg-II, and another 56.2 MLD in Leg-III drains, comprising an underground network spanning 50.5 kilometres.