The ‘septage’ or the sludge produced in septic tanks will not enter the water bodies especially Yamuna River without treatment as Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has decided to regulate its collection and disposal by issuing licences to the vendors.
As of now, private vendors collect the sludge through sucking machines or any other means and dispose it off in water bodies without treating the waste.
Talking to The Pioneer RS Negi, Member, Water Supply, DJB said that Delhi Jal Board in its limited powers will now regulate the system of septage management in Delhi for which the board will issue licenses to the vendors who will collect it and dispose it off at various treatment plants and pumping stations demarcated by the board.
“The list of the licensed vendors will be given to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and District Magistrates (DMs), he added.
Negi further said that the board will notify and request the civic bodies in the national capital to take actions against unlicensed vendors.
The Board has also issued a gazette notification according to which, the license holders will have to dispose off septage only at the locations notified by the Delhi Jal Board from time to time.
“The Board will identify the Sewage Pumping Stations and Sewage Treatment Plants and will create necessary infrastructure and provide necessary equipment at the notified location, to facilitate the disposal of septage,” stated the notification.
As of now, in various unauthorized colonies, proper sewerage systems aren’t there. In absence of the system, septic tanks have been created that are cleaned only by the private vendors.
By regulating the systems, the DJB is also planning to avert the deaths that are happened during the cleaning of a septic tank.
“The Board cannot go to each and every house and provide the safety equipment there and then.
In absence of the regulations, private vendors usually pump out the sludge through machines and other illegal means,” he said.
According to the senior official, a vendor will be considered eligible for the license only after meeting certain norms.