Keeping its promise of making the rivers of Uttar Pradesh clean, the Yogi Adityanath government is working to give a new dimension to the ambitious Namami Gange project.
“The state government, in the second phase of the Namami Gange programme (for the period 2021-2026), is engaging itself in the creation of proper sewerage infrastructure on the tributaries of the Ganges by increasing public-private partnership, and is emphasising on circular water economy model, sludge and septage management, and more,” Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said here on Friday..
He said in pursuance of the directives issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Namami Gange project is being taken forward in the state through various initiatives to restore the significance of the Ganga and for its conservation and protection.
A total of eight projects will be completed in the state in just four months from September 2022 to December 2022. These projects include, STP (sewage treatment plant) for Naini, Phaphamau and Jhusi areas of Prayagraj at a cost of Rs 767.59 crore. This project includes three sewage treatment plants of 72 MLD capacity.
Similarly, the besides construction of STP of 160 MLD capacity in Kanpur Nagar at a cost of Rs 967.23 crore, interception and diversion structures of 15 MLD capacity at Unnao at a cost of Rs 102.2 crore, and interception and diversion structures of 5 MLD capacity at Shuklaganj in Unnao at a cost of Rs 65.18 crore are also being constructed.
Moreover, interception and diversions structures of 17 MLD capacity are being built at a cost of Rs 70.18 crore at Sultanpur, of 10 MLD capacity at a cost of Rs 48.76 crore at Budhana and of 30 MLD capacity at Jaunpur at a cost of Rs 206 crore.
The construction of 14 MLD capacity interception and diversion structure is going on in Baghpat at a cost of Rs 77.36 crore, and it will be completed by December 2022.
The estimated sewage generation in the state is about 5,500 MLD, a major part of which is treated by the 114 STPs established in the state having a combined capacity of 3,539.72 MLD. To bridge this gap, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has proposed several sewerage projects to the Central government. Resultantly, the Central government has approved a total of 55 sewerage infrastructure projects for the construction of STPs of 1,574.24 MLD capacity in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 11,433.06 crore.
Due to constant monitoring through frequent review meetings held by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an improvement has been witnessed in the Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the Ganga flowing in Uttar Pradesh (Kannauj to Varanasi).
The water quality criteria for bathing at all the comparable locations (all 20 locations) during the years 2014 and 2022 were found to be met. While DO (dissolved oxygen) has improved at 16 out of 20 places, BOD has improved in 14 out of 20 places and FC has improved in 18 out of 20 places.
The Central government had earlier stated that no sewerage infrastructure project sanctioned for Prayagraj was completed before 2014. Three STPs of 42+16+14 MLD capacity were also sanctioned by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to treat the additional waste water generated from the city due to the efforts of the chief minister. The NMCG also approved a project to upgrade the existing STPs at Naini, Salori and Rajapur. Keeping in view the condition of Prayagraj, the NMCG has approved these two projects on hybrid annuity mode (HAM).