Patiala sewage load beyond STPs’ capacity, waste flows into Ghaggar

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, February 2

The Ghaggar is serving as toxic sewer to drain out the untreated water from Patiala city. So far, 92 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage is being generated in the city while the STPs operating in the city have the capacity to treat 71 MLD of sewage everyday. The rest of the untreated water is flown into the Ghaggar through Jacob and Model Town drains.

92 MLD sewage in city

As much as 92 million litre sewage is being generated in the city per day, whereas the STPs have the capacity to treat 71 MLD sewage everyday. The untreated water is flowing into the Ghaggar through Jacob and Model Town drains

There is no provision to drain rain water in the city and it flows into the sewer lines. An officials of the Patiala Municipal Corporation said, “The two STPs at Shermajra with 46 MLD and 15 MLD capacity and one in Ablowal with a capacity of 10 MLD receive more than 90 MLD of waste water daily.”

“The combined treating capacity of both STPs is 71 MLD. The excess untreated water flows directly into the adjoining water bodies,” said the official.

An MC official said, “The untreated water flows directly into the Jacob drain and the Model Town drain, which merge into the Ghaggar.” He said the sewage discharge was increased after illegal connections, laid by residents to drain out untreated water into the Chhoti Nadi, were snapped following the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). It increased the sewage discharge by 10 MLD. But the STPs operating in the district are unable to handle the additional burden. According to Rajiv Sharma, a resident, said, “We have written to the Patiala MC numerous times, but to no avail. Untreated water is getting discharged into the drains. Residents living along the drains have severe health issues.”

Rohit Singla, Environmental Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board, said, Two treatment plants with 13 MLD of PUDA and 4 MLD at Bahadurgarh are operational. He said, “We keep on collecting water samples from different locations. Violations in the water samples collected recently were found. The matter was submitted and we are awaiting a hearing. In the matter of the STP at Nabha, violations were found and action had been sought against the official concerned at the Municipal Council in Nabha and the report has been submitted before the Chairman for further action.”

Nabha residents are up in arms against the council after the report submitted by the SDM highlighted that untreated sewage water was being discharged into the Nabha drain near Kartar Colony. The SDM also sought the release of Rs 4.7 crore from the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board to remedy the problem.