E-Paper
JICA report on cleaning of rivers gathering dust
ALMOST ONE year has passed since the submission of the report by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to clean Ganga and Yamuna in the city but its execution is still awaited.
ALMOST ONE year has passed since the submission of the report by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to clean Ganga and Yamuna in the city but its execution is still awaited.
To recall, the meeting on Pollution Abatement Project for Allahabad organised jointly by State's Department of Urban Development, Nagar Nigam, UP Jal Nigam and Jal Sansthan in collaboration with JICA study team was held here on February 7,2005 to clean the both rivers.
The report presented by JICA stated that the main objective of the project is to improve the water quality of Ganga and Yamuna rivers through reducing major pollution sources like domestic waste water (sewerage measures), open defecation and washing of clothes on the river bank (non-sewerage measures).
Notably, major pollution source of Ganga and Yamuna rivers is domestic waste water. At present, only limited waste water (27%) is treated, the remaining (73%) is discharged into Ganga and Yamuna rivers without treatment.
The total current estimated waste water is 226 million litre per day (mld), out of which 60 mld is carried to the existing sewerage treatment plant (STP), whereas 166 mld is discharged into the rivers. Sewerage facilities are not properly operated and maintained. Meanwhile open defecation and laundry activities on river banks are also the major pollution sources. Without implementation of this project, more waste water will find its way to Ganga and Yamuna rivers in future leading to increased pollution. Waste water falls into Ganga and Yamuna rivers through around 57 drains in the city and suburbs.
However the report further said that various important points have been left untouched in Ganga Action PLan without deliberations on which this project cannot be useful. For example the local geographical features, unplanned urbanisation and the cost involved.
Report said that Dhobi ghats (laundries) should be not constructed over nallahs because flow of sulpher-di-oxide cannot be prevented. Waste water purification could be achieved if pond treatment plant is adopted, it stated.
Adoption of bio-monitoring would activate continuous process. Monitoring should be done at the right time, at least ten times in a day.
It further said that in future pure water would be available in Ganga river, dueto which the situation of cleanliness in our city will improve and there will be reduction in the diseases, public health will improve, area where the farming is less can be taken as proposed STP site, so that people could not be affected.
Kamlesh Singh, corporator, said that capacity of nullah from Fort Road to Mori gate must be doubled so that the sewerage taken to Jhusi area for water treatment and thereafter for use for irrigation. He demanded immediate execution of the JICA plan to make rivers clean.
Meanwhile, saints have heaved a sigh of relief after release of more water from Narora Dam into Ganga but they reiterated their pledge to continue their campaign for clean Ganga.
