India’s largest sewage treatment plant (STP) will come up at Okhla at a cost of ₹1,161 crore. The work for setting up the plant has been awarded to France-based Suez Group and it is likely to be completed by June 2022, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said on Wednesday.
The plant with a capacity of 56.4 crore litres per day, when functional, will complete the Yamuna Action Plan III, which was envisioned to clean the river, said DJB vice-chairperson, Dinesh Mohaniya.
The plant will remove 41,200 kg of organic pollutant load and 61,600 kg of solid load per day. This will help in reducing the pollutants in the Yamuna, according to the DJB.
The plant will cater to around 40 lakh residents of Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj, NDMC areas, Nizamuddin, Okhla, Badarpur, Kalkaji, Malviya Nagar, Katwaria Sarai, Lajpat Nagar, Greater Kailash and South Delhi – from Munirka to Badarpur – among others.
“Now, untreated waste is being dumped into the Yamuna. Treated water from the plant will be redirected to the Yamuna, which will help in cleaning the river. The DJB will also lay sewer lines to enhance the capacity of existing ones,” said Mr. Mohaniya.
Restoration of ash pond
Besides this, the jal board has decided to revive an ash pond of the Rajghat Power Plant to a 42-acre lake at a cost of ₹36.51 crore. For this, treated water from the STP at Delhi Gate (15 MGD capacity) will be used. Currently, treated water is discharged into the Yamuna.
Since the closure of the Rajghat Power Plant, the ash pond remains non-utilised and the revival work is estimated to be completed in 18 months. Once the ash pond becomes functional, it will reduce the organic load pollutant flowing into the Yamuna by 675 kg.
14 mini STPs
The DJB also approved construction of 14 mini sewage treatment plants under the Najafgarh drain zone, along with laying of internal sewage system in Somesh Vihar, Jhuljhuli and Dichaon Kalan group of colonies, covering a population of around eight lakh. The treated water from these plants will be used to revive 56 waterbodies in the area, said Mr. Mohaniya.
