Corporation looks forward to State grant

Two sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Vellaikkal and Sakkimangalam are ready. But the Rs. 108-crore projects could not be put to good use for the work of laying of underground pipelines were stalled due to lack of funds.

The Corporation had got sanction for Solid Waste Management plan worth Rs. 234 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Works like construction of STPs and procurement of vehicles were done. Construction of waste processing unit was nearing completion. But the remaining works of laying underground pipelines for 46 km in leftover areas and renovation of wornout pipelines for 116 km were in initial stage.

“Works worth Rs. 114 crore have been completed. The Corporation could not raise its contribution of nearly Rs. 70 crore (30 per cent of Rs. 234 crore). We have sought grants from the State Government and it is expected soon,” Corporation Commissioner S. Sebastine told reporters during an inspection of the STP at Sakkimangalam. He said replacement of wornout pipelines had to be done in the busy roads and streets around the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. “The roads dug for replacing underground pipelines have to be restored immediately for which we need funds. Hence the works are going slowly,” he said.

The STPs have been designed to treat 170.7 million litres of sewage a day, which would take care of the city's sewage treatment for the next 30 years. The project is scheduled for completion by March 2012. “On completion of the project, no sewage will be let into the storm water drainages and the Vaigai river,” he said. Around 90 MLD of treated sewage could be used for agricultural and industrial purposes, Corporation Chief Engineer K. Sakthivel said. “We can even store the water in the irrigation tanks after getting Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board clearance,” he said.