Bhopal, the 17th largest city in the country and 131st in the world, is facing a major water crisis. Ironically, it has a large number of natural and artificial lakes.
At the same time, Madhya Pradesh as a State has been facing drought-like conditions in recent years. Many districts have been reporting shortage of water not only during summers but also in winters. Some panchayats in Jhabua, Ratlam and Satna districts did not even vote in frustration during the by-polls this year due to severe water shortage and contamination which impacted thousands of people.
Besides, Indore generates 204 million litres per day (MlD) of sewage, Bhopal 334.75 MlD and Jabalpur 143.34 MlD, but as far as treatment of sewage is concerned and Indore manages 78 MlD (38%) and Bhopal barely 22 MlD (6%). Jabalpur does not have any facility for water treatment. There is clearly an urgent need to increase sewage treatment capacities and optimum utilisation of clean water.
However, the Municipal authorities are yet to realise the problem of polluted water bodies and set up sewage treatment plants. The challenge needs to be recognised as an important indicator of overall development. Considering the widening gap between sewage generation and treatment capacity, a workable action plan needs to be put in place. large cities like Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal – where the problem is more severe compared to other districts – will be required to be taken up on priority basis in first phase.
In Nagpur, the Municipal Corporation has benefited by getting 200 MlD capacity developed through the operator investment in the Vishvaraj Infrastructure ltd’s 200 MlD sewage treatment plant.