‘Sewage plants in UP do not meet environment standards’

Environment Department officials said the condition of STPs was found worst in Kanpur. The capacity of three STPs in Jajmau area in Kanpur is only 171 million litres per day against the total sewage discharge of 409 MLDs in the city. The board also found that BOD level in the treated water of all these STPs was between 115 and 390 mg per litre.

The situation is not very different in Varanasi where three STPs are operational. During the inspection which was held on August 16,the UPPCB experts found the BOD level in treated water at Maduwadeeh STP was 170 mg per liters. In Mathura,four STPs set up in Kalidah Vrindavan,Pagalbaba Mandir,Masani and Trans-Yamuna and discharge effluents in Yamuna river. The BOD level in their treated water was found to be in the range of 42 to 56 mg per litres. In Noida,three STPs are established. While two STPs set up in Sector 50 and Sector 54 function properly,the one in Sector 54 discharges the treated water with a BOD level of 58 mg per liter. These STPs discharge water in the Hindon river. Similarly,two STPs function in Allahabad. While one at Naini treats 60 MLD sewage as per the standards,the one at Salori treats only 18 MLD sewage against its capacity of 29 MLD. The BOD level in treated water from this STP is 48 mg per litre. These STPs discharge treated water in the Ganga river.

The BOD level in water treated by two STPs in Ghaziabad was found in the range of 60 to 70 mg per litre. This effluent is being discharged in the Hindon river. Similarly,the BOD level in treated water at Sultanpur was 48 mg per litre,38 mg per litre in Saharanpur and 40 mg per litre in Farrukhabad.

According to sources,the UPPCB has served notice to Saharanpur municipal commissioner for poor maintenance and operation of STP.

“After the recent inspection,the UPPCB has served notices to executive officers and chairmen of local bodies in Mathura and Muzaffarnagar for poor maintenance of STP plants. Similarly,officials of other local bodies have been directed to make arrangements so that BOD level in treated water remains under the permissible limit,” said Alok Ranjan,Principal Secretary,Urban Development and Environment.

In Agra,total sewage generation is 248 MLD while three STPs set up here have combined capacity to treat 90 MLD. In Varanasi,against the total discharge of 309 MLD,the three STPs have treatment capacity of 102 MLD only. The same situation prevails in Allahabad and Lucknow,revealed the survey.

“We are are going to develop new STPs is all these towns. Projects for these towns have already been prepared,” said the Principal Secretary.