LUDHIANA: The Ludhiana civic body has decided to scrap its previously prepared detailed project report (DPR) to utilise the treated water for irrigating public parks as it was estimating the cost at Rs 12 crore.
Officials said they would now draft the report again. Using treated water for irrigation of farms has already been disapproved after a research, whose report was submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).Now, the question arises whether the treated water will continue to go down the drain in future as well.
The officials had prepared the DPR for parks falling in MC’s Zone B as new sewage treatment plant (STP) in Jamalpur lies in this area, which would have allowed seamless supply of treated water to the locations nearby. There are two more STPs in Balloke and Bhatian as well, but there are no plans to use the water treated by them so far.
At least 200 public parks fall in Zone B, a majority of them in the Focal Point area. According to the officials, they had decided to take up this project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.
In these parks, the officials would have been able to use only 5 MLD water whereas at the Jamalpur STP, 225 MLD water is treated every day and discharged into Buddha Nullah.
Additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira said, “The previously prepared DPR was a costly affair. The city is developed haphazardly and that is why the cost to lay pipelines is more than any planned city. We will make the DPR again.”
Recently, a report was submitted by the deputy commissioner to the NGT in an ongoing petition that treated water from STPs or common effluent treatment plants cannot be used for irrigation purpose. It is mentioned in the report that farmers were asked not to use the treated water for irrigation purposes as it carries colour at times, which can prove harmful for crops.
Also, most of the water requirement for irrigation arises during kharif period as rabi crops demand less water. The proposal was also sent to the technical adviser to the Punjab chief minister for vetting. As per the observation of the CM’s adviser, the proposal of new channel can be considered only after proper measurement of discharge available in Buddha Nullah after channelisation, which is to be done by the Ludhiana MC.
The Central Water Commission, while considering the proposal, had also expressed that if the state proceeded with it, the agriculture department would have to certify that contaminant residue was not entering the food chain.
Officials said they would now draft the report again. Using treated water for irrigation of farms has already been disapproved after a research, whose report was submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).Now, the question arises whether the treated water will continue to go down the drain in future as well.
The officials had prepared the DPR for parks falling in MC’s Zone B as new sewage treatment plant (STP) in Jamalpur lies in this area, which would have allowed seamless supply of treated water to the locations nearby. There are two more STPs in Balloke and Bhatian as well, but there are no plans to use the water treated by them so far.
At least 200 public parks fall in Zone B, a majority of them in the Focal Point area. According to the officials, they had decided to take up this project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.
In these parks, the officials would have been able to use only 5 MLD water whereas at the Jamalpur STP, 225 MLD water is treated every day and discharged into Buddha Nullah.
Additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira said, “The previously prepared DPR was a costly affair. The city is developed haphazardly and that is why the cost to lay pipelines is more than any planned city. We will make the DPR again.”
Recently, a report was submitted by the deputy commissioner to the NGT in an ongoing petition that treated water from STPs or common effluent treatment plants cannot be used for irrigation purpose. It is mentioned in the report that farmers were asked not to use the treated water for irrigation purposes as it carries colour at times, which can prove harmful for crops.
Also, most of the water requirement for irrigation arises during kharif period as rabi crops demand less water. The proposal was also sent to the technical adviser to the Punjab chief minister for vetting. As per the observation of the CM’s adviser, the proposal of new channel can be considered only after proper measurement of discharge available in Buddha Nullah after channelisation, which is to be done by the Ludhiana MC.
The Central Water Commission, while considering the proposal, had also expressed that if the state proceeded with it, the agriculture department would have to certify that contaminant residue was not entering the food chain.