Balbir Singh Seechewal raises water wastage in RS, says faulty STPs a drain on exchequer

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 12

Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal raised the issue of wastage of water in Parliament during the ongoing winter session today.

Ensure water supply, keep check on effluents

The Centre and state governments should fulfil their responsibility. The supply of 135 litters of water per person in cities should be ensured so that treatment plants do not fail...and the flow of contaminated water into rivers could be ended. — Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, Rajya Sabha Member

It is probably the first time that an MP has taken up the issue of a Jalandhar-based STP in the Upper House. The emission of industrial wastes into the water in urban and rural areas of Jalandhar has rendered the water being supplied in the city unusable.

Seechewal said the 50 minimum liquid discharge (MLD) Basti Peerdaad plant in the Jalandhar plant - pegged at treating dirty water of the entire Jalandhar city by 2025 - was based on a faulty model as the supply of drinking water is way over the target set as per the national policy.

Holding the officials responsible for the wastage of water, Seechewal stressed in the Rajya Sabha that someone must be held accountable for this. Addressing Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Seechewal said, according to the national policy, the drinking water supply in cities has been fixed at 135 litres per person every day. Based on that, the design of the treatment plant is prepared. However, in reality, there is a supply of around 250 liters to 300 liters, which is why the treatment plants have been failing.

Seechewal also discussed the 50 MLD STP set up in Pirdad Basti, Jalandhar, in the House. He said, “This plant was commissioned on June 5, 2014, and this plant was to treat the dirty water in the city by 2025. However, doubling the supply of drinking water increased the quantity of sewerage water, which led to the failure of the plant in 2016.”

The environmentalist rued the poor state of the treatment plants in the country. It is unfortunate no administrative officer is being held accountable for this.

“The water supply department is responsible for this. Crores of rupees spent on the treatment plant are also going in vain,” Seechewal added, while demanding that drinking water be made available to all.

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