Delhi pins its hopes on NMCG as it attempts another expensive Yamuna cleanup

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) sanctioned 10 projects to clean up Yamuna river to treat wastewater in four states before it enters the Ganga river.

In a major push to clean Yamuna river, National Mission to Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved 10 projects worth Rs 1,573.28 crore on Wednesday. These projects will also prevent polluted water from entering the Ganga river through Bihar, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh.

The projects were sanctioned during a meeting between Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The initiatives include tapping of 61 nalas/drains, construction of three Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) of total capacity 166 MLD, construction of 10 decentralised STPs of 9.38 MLD and renovation of two existing STPs, laying of rising main of 17.61 km, renovation of Sewage Pumping Station (SPS), renovation of STPs, renovation of interception work, upgrading of STPs (for chlorination), and operation and maintenance for 15 years, reports Financial Express.

Due to the effects of pollution on Taj Mahal, a project for Rehabilitation/Renovation of Agra Sewage Scheme (Interception and Division Works) worth Rs 857.26 crore was one of the approved ten projects.

A government statement said,

“The projects are expected to drastically reduce pollution load from Agra city into the river Yamuna, helping to save the Taj Mahal and leading to improvement of river water quality, groundwater quality and overall aesthetics of the area.”

In addition, the NMCG also approved interception and division works and an STP worth Rs 76.93 crore at Kasganj and Sultanpur in UP. In Kasganj especially, the project will include two I and D structures, network laying of the 2.8 km length and an STP of 15 MLD. The cost will also cover the operation and maintenance for 15 years, reports LiveMint.

Kasganj does not have a sewerage system, and wastewater from drains is discharged into river Kali, a tributary of Yamuna and sub-tributary of Ganga. Through the initiatives, these drains will be tapped so that the wastewater would flow through the proposed STP for treatment.

“These drains outfall into Gomti River resulting in pollution in the river. It is, therefore, necessary that the drains are intercepted/diverted, treatment of sewage/sludge and effluent with permissible limits discharged into Gomti River,” said the statement.

In Bihar, the NMCG committee approved projects worth Rs 328.52 crore in Chhapra, Fatuha, Bakhtiyarpur, and Khagaria.

In Himachal Pradesh, the committee specifically focused on Paonta Town and approved a new 1.72 MLD STP, minor repairs and a filter in an existing 0.44 MLD STP (extended aeration) and 1 MLD (extended aeration) worth Rs 11.57 crore.

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