The Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA)-assisted Odisha Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (OISIP) works in the twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have been expedited in the last six months taking the overall physical achievement up to 52 per cent. This was reviewed in a High level Steering Committee meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary AP Padhi.
Reviewing the progress made so far, Padhi directed the departmental engineers and executing agencies to strictly follow the safety norms in course of the execution of the project. The engineers were asked to update safety SOP for remaining portion of the project keeping in view the nature of works. The Chief Secretary further directed the executing agency to look into the convenience of the people while digging the roads and drains and not to leave any portion half done.
Available data show that the OISIP includes 632 km of sewer network (252 km in Bhubaneswar and 380 km in Cuttack), three Sewerage Treatment Plants ( STP- 2 in Cuttack and one in Bhubaneswar) and 48 pumping stations in the twin city. Bhubaneswar will have one STP with 48 MlD capacity and Cuttack will have 2 STPs one with 36 MlD capacity and the other of 16 MlD capacity. Apart from that, Cuttack will have 23,043 meters of drainage through the project.
The project cost has been estimated around Rs 2,974 crore out of which the Government of Odisha provides Rs 594 crore and the JICA loan component is around Rs 2,380 crore.
The achievement in construction of sewerage line varies from 46 to 58 per cent. The achievement in STP and pumping stations has been more than 61 per cent. Similarly, the drainage works in Cuttack have also been fastened. Since many critical ground level works have been done, engineers expected more speed in execution in coming months. Out of the total project of cost of Rs 2,974 crore, the utilization up to May, 2017 has been around Rs 1,041 crore (which is 45 per cent of the total project cost).
Chief Secretary Padhi directed to complete the constructions and provide services to people by December, 2018.
Project Director Basant Kumar Panda informed that a GIS-based platform about the sewerage and water supply network in the twin city has been developed.
It would help all households to know the exact position of sewerage and water line from their house so that they would plan the connections accordingly. Chief Secretary Padhi directed the Public Health department officers to keep the data base updated for reference of all households.
The matters relating to behavioral and attitudinal change of the people were deliberated in the meeting. It was decided to launch massive Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities from July, 2017. The Chief Secretary advised to take up intensive awareness activities at various wards involving the peoples’ representatives, neighborhood groups, puja committees and members from civil society.