E-Paper
Wastewater treatment helps Gurdaspur village turn dirty pond into source of irrigation
A dirty pond in Peroshah village of Harigobindpur block of Gurdaspur has now turned into a valuable source of irrigation—thanks to the liquid waste management project initiated in September 2019.
Once an eyesore and health hazard for residents, a dirty pond in Peroshah village of Harigobindpur block of Gurdaspur has now turned into a valuable source of irrigation—thanks to the liquid waste management project initiated in September 2019.
The Rs. 27.89 lakh project, which was started with the use of MGNREGA and panchayat funds, employed the Thapar technology to treat wastewater flowing into the pond.
Gurdaspur deputy commissioner (DC) Mohammad Ishfaq said, “Residents of Peroshah village realised that proper disposal of wastewater was necessary for their own well-being. Earlier, water from open drains used to spill on to the roads and into the pond, which not just polluted the water and emitted foul smell but also posed a health hazard by serving as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects.”
Besides treating the water flowing into the pond, desilting was also carried out, which increased the storage capacity of the pond to 65 lakh litres.
The village, which has a population of 817 individuals residing in 147 households, generates approximately 1.12 lakh litres of wastewater a day. This water is treated and stored in the pond, which is then used to irrigate up to 18 acres a month. Earlier, two tube wells were required to do the same.
As part of the project, the area around the pond was also cleaned and renovated. A few benches were also set up for residents to come and sit in their leisure time. “This project has changed the face of the village. People from nearby villages come here to see this technology,” said Sukhraj Singh, a village resident.
