The Hindu      13.08.2010

Desilting of stormwater drains under way

Staff Reporter

— Photo : T.Singaravelou

Spot study: Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam and Minister for Public Works M.O.H.F. Shahjahan inspecting desilting operations in Puducherry on Thursday.

PUDUCHERRY: With the North-East Monsoon fast approaching, the Public Works Department is carrying out desilting operations at major stormwater drains in the town. The works were inspected by Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam on Thursday.

PWD officials said that the plan was to remove 50,000 cubic metres of silt and 60,000 cubic metres of sand from the lagoon region. As the dredging work began in March, more than 1,5000 cubic metres of silt has been removed from the drains.

The officials said that more than 6,000 lorries have been used for the desilting process.

The collected silt has been moved to a vacant land near Muthirapalayam. The officials said the works were moving as per schedule and that all major drains would be desilted before the monsoon.

The nature of the ongoing clean-up process was different compared to earlier attempts when only floating objects were removed from the drains.

At present, the accumulated waste from the drains was being cleared to increase the water carrying capacity, the officials said.

This was the first time that the lagoon was being dredged in 15 years. The work was being carried out at a cost of Rs. 1.28 crore.

It may be recalled that the National Consultancy for Planning and Engineering, Hyderabad, appointed by the territorial government under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to give a detailed project report for improving stormwater drains in the town, submitted its report in July.

The proposed work under the project includes improvement of Grand Canal, Rainbow Nagar drain, Uppar drain from Sithenkudi to confluence point in the town, Point Care canal, Krishna Nagar canal, Petit canal, Ellaipillaichavady drain from Vivekanda Nagar to Puducherry Housing Board office and Karuvadikuppam drain from Venus Theatre to Ambika Theatre bridge.

Hindustan Times  12.08.2010

P.C. Singhal, a resident of Indirapuram is mulling over selling his flat at a private society in Ghaziabad and moving to either Noida or Greater Noida. A large part of his housing society, like the basement and parking lots have remained submerged in sewage for months now. Singhal's is not the only example. Many high-rises in Indirapuram face the same pathetic situation and pump out sewage into sewer-lines.

Areas near posh markets, eating-joints and roads witness much the same scenario.

Ranjan Kumar, franchisee-holder of a popular food-joint near the Windsor Park high-rise says his sales have gone down by 60 percent, like other retailers', due to the filthy conditions.

"The customers, especially women, prefer to stay away from the market due to the sewage spill," Kumar said.

"There is a marked contrast between ground realities and proposed infrastructure facilities. Civic agencies should work collectively to resolve the issues, otherwise the problem would further escalate," said Sudipto Paul of Windsor Park society.

Mohan Sangwan from the Indirapuram Residents' Welfare Association confederation said the sewage-infrastructure had crumbled due to growing population.

"To make matters worse, there are no garbage-disposal facilities and sewage gets dumped onto vacant plots, nearby roads or sewage-lines," said Sangwan.

The pathetic conditions in Indirapuram have made many residents change their perception about the most upmarket, well-planned housing destination in the National Capital Region (NCR) - as projected by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).

While GDA officials estimate that only 20 percent of the total population (around six lakh) has moved in, the RWAs feel that infrastructure problems in the area are a big worry.

As per official GDA estimates, around 1.25 lakh housing-units were developed either by the agency itself or by private developers.

Housing units range anywhere between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 1 crore and have witnessed a major vertical expansion.

The problem

Like Indirapuram, 11 other residential colonies of trans-Hindon areas, like Vaishali, Vasundhara, Kaushambi, Delta Colonies, Shalimar Garden and others, connect to the three main sewerage-lines, which culminate in the 48 million litres a day (MLD) capacity main pumping station (MPS) facility, maintained by the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation. These 11 colonies have 15 Sewage Pumping Stations (SPS), which force out sewage to three main lines. On the other hand, Indirapuram's sewage lines are directly connected to the three main lines. In case of a power-failure or MPS facility shutdown, the sewage inside the three main lines flows ack into Indirapuram. The problem, residents say, has been persisting for months.

Action taken:

A fortnight ago, Ghaziabad District Magistrate Hridesh Kumar constituted a three-member committee, which to look into the problem in Indirapuram. GDA has also paid Rs 50 lakh to GMC for MPS maintenance, after residents protested and appraised the administration.

Proposed solutions

By GDA

GMC to ensure full working capacity for the MPS facility during peak hours. Proper power-backup and diesel-generator facilities be ensured to keep the MPS functioning.

MPS technical equipments —  like motors, pumps to be serviced and maintained properly to ensure proper working conditions.

By GMC

In all the blocks of Ahimsa-Khand, Shakti-Khand, Vaibhav-Khand, Gyan-Khand,  Niti-Khand and others in Indirapuram, proper SPS to be installed.

An exclusive MPS facility should come up for Indirapuram, which is to be connected to the under-construction 56 MLD capacity STP facility developed by the GDA.