Work on sewage treatment in Kalyan Dombivli to be completed by May 2022

The pollution caused in Ulhas and Kalu rivers due to sewage generated in Kalyan, Dombivli will soon be under control; Under KDMC’s Amrut scheme, the civic body initiated the project of intersecting nullah and diverting the sewage to sewage treatment plants

The pollution caused in Ulhas and Kalu rivers due to sewage generated in Kalyan-Dombivli will soon be under control. The work for sewage waste treatment is expected to be completed by May 2022.

A nullah in Kalyan meets Ulhas River. The pollution caused in Ulhas and Kalu rivers due to sewage generated in Kalyan, Dombivli will soon be under control. (RISHIKESH CHOUDHARY/HT PHOTO)

In Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) limits, the Ulhas river, which is a source of drinking water, and Kalu river meet the Kalyan creek. Several nullahs in the city meet the rivers at different places while a few also meet the creek. The untreated sewage waste that flows through the nullah also ends up in these rivers.

Under the KDMC Amrut scheme, the civic body initiated the project of intersecting nullah and diverting the sewage to the sewage treatment plants (STPs). “The work under this scheme is in its final stage and is expected to be completed by May 2022. With this, the pollution caused to the river due to the nullahs in Kalyan-Dombivli limits will be under control,” said an officer of KDMC.

The work of treating the sewage water is being carried out in two phases by the KDMC. The proposal for the project was sanctioned in 2018 under the Amrut scheme.

In the second phase of the project, the estimated cost was ₹132.82Cr. Till January 2020, only 20% of the work for the second phase was completed. Throughout the pandemic, KDMC managed to finish the work for the second phase up to 85%. In the second phase, KDMC has built eight pumping stations out of the proposed 11. Till November, KDMC had spent ₹103.39Cr for Phase II of this project.

“This entire work is only limited to the KDMC jurisdiction. However, there are many other factors that lead to pollution in the river. There is a need to ensure other authorities are also implementing pollution-control measures like us,” added the officer.

In the first phase of the project, which cost around ₹153.38Cr, KDMC has managed to build 10 pumping stations out of the proposed 11 and also the work for 47km sewage pipeline while work for 3km is remaining. According to KDMC, the pipeline connects 30,000 households in its limits.

In total, the KDMC has spent ₹118.25Cr for this project. A total of 90% of the work of the first phase is also finished and it is also expected to be completed by 2022.