PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan (UJS) has submitted a proposal to the State administration for approval of an action plan aimed at utilising treated wastewater from the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Dehradun. The UJS secretary (Appraisal) Maneesh Semwal said that currently, residents are using drinking water for gardening and other non-potable activities, which places additional strain on natural resources and contributes to shortages of drinking water. In order to tackle this issue, the department has developed an action plan to utilise treated wastewater from the STP in Dehradun and has submitted its proposal to the State administration for consideration.
The department intends to implement this project to make use of wastewater treated in STPs in the Dehradun district for various purposes such as gardening for both government and private entities, washing vehicles and watering trees and plants along roadsides. Additionally, it will support domestic and non-domestic construction activities. Currently, groundwater is being over-extracted to satisfy the drinking water needs for these activities. In such a situation, utilising STP-treated wastewater for these functions can help alleviate the pressure on groundwater resources. This initiative will play a significant role in conserving water, particularly groundwater. Once operational, the project will reduce the reliance on drinking water for these uses. In its initial phase, the plan is to deploy treated wastewater for the irrigation of trees and plants situated on roadsides and in the gardens of government offices within the Kargi zone, he added.
Semwal added that the proposal includes works with an estimated budget of Rs 788.69 lakh. Approval for this proposal is anticipated to be granted shortly, with the aim of making an announcement by November 9, in alignment with the State’s foundation day.
It will be recalled that, amid staffing challenges, the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan and Peyjal Nigam have recently presented a joint proposal to the State administration. This proposal seeks to authorise women’s self-help groups to manage the distribution of water bills to villages throughout the State.
