The Hindu                       18.04.2013

KSUDP sewerage project in fresh row

Panel inspection detects two drain pipes without ISI mark.

The city Corporation’s sewerage project being implemented by the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) landed in a fresh controversy on Wednesday with the commission that was appointed to check the quality of drain pipes recovering two pipes without ISI marks.

The pipes were recovered during checks near Karapparambu.

The Principal Munsif Court had on April 9 ordered the inspection of the sewerage pipes following allegations of corruption by an anti-corruption campaign committee.

A team comprising a commissioner appointed by the court, Bureau of Indian Standards officials, and representatives of Shriram EPC, the private company that is contracted for the work, conducted the inspection.

Near Karapparambu

“We checked the sewerage work around the Karapparambu area. Two pipes without ISI marks were found. After presenting the pipes before the court, it has to be checked whether they match the stipulated standards. The pipes will be taken to the testing facility in Kannur. We have requested the KSUDP to give us the particulars of the pipe in the contract,” K. Raghunandan, who heads the commission, said.

Since the court is on vacation, the testing is not possible till April 26.

However, KSUDP Project Manager K. Bhaskaran told The Hindu that the ISI mark is not a requirement as per the contract. “The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The pipes can be from any of the seven member countries of the ADB, as per the agreement. But the pipes should match the Indian standards. The ISI mark is not necessary,” Mr. Bhaskaran said.

The Indian Express                 16.04.2013

DJB plans 9,500-km sewage network in Outer Delhi

For the Poor Stagnant waste water causes major health issues in these areas, Jal Board says project to cost Rs 25,000 crore.

As many as 9,500 km of pipelines will be needed to connect unauthorised colonies in Outer Delhi to the city's sewage network, according to Delhi Jal Board. DJB officials estimated that it could take many years and around Rs 25,000 crore to bring proper sewage facilities to these colonies, home to around 45 per cent of Delhi's population.

A draft sewer master plan, expected to be released in a few months, maps where people live in the Capital and what sort of factors need to be considered in order to build a sewage network in areas that don't have one.

"We've done a full survey of all areas without sewage system in Delhi. We realise that we need to create a sewage system for everyone and our plan is to build sewers in all unauthorised colonies," DJB CEO Debashree Mukherjee said.

DJB officials said they have already built systems in 92 of an estimated 2,000 unauthorised colonies included in the plan.

In areas that do not have sewer pipelines, waste water causes many health and sanitation problems. It either stagnates or runs through storm drains.

These drains are supposed to replenish the groundwater levels or water sources like the Yamuna, but waste water ensures that they spread contaminates instead.

The DJB's sewer master plan focuses on the technicalities that determine the feasibility of getting pipes to these areas, such as the topography, climatology, geology and other factors.

However, the feasibility itself is done internally and so is the prioritisation.

Mukherjee said water officials consider a couple of things when prioritising colonies — whether they have running water and whether they are close to an outfall or a vein of the existing sewer system, which can sufficiently transport the waste to a treatment plant.

The master plan is supposed to support sewer work till 2031, also taking into consideration growing population in specific regions.

Nitya Jacob, programme director of water at Centre for Science and Environment, lauded the DJB's plan but said he was sceptical. "Colonies grow faster than the infrastructure, but it's good in-principle and at least will ensure that everybody is on the map," Jacob said. "It is a lot of money, so where are we going to get it from?"

Mukherjee, however, said with government grants available to the DJB, the agency would not fall short of resources.

Water Woes

9,500 km sewage pipeline network

Rs 25,000 crore project cost

92 of 2,000 illegal colonies have sewage system

45 per cent of Delhi's population lives in illegal colonies

In areas that do not have sewer pipelines, waste water causes many health and sanitation problems. It either stagnates or runs through storm drains. These drains are meant to replenish the groundwater levels or water sources like the Yamuna, but waste water spreads contaminates instead. The proposed sewage network will improve sanitation and keep health hazards at bay

A draft sewer master plan, expected to be released in a few months, maps where people live in the Capital and what sort of factors need to be considered in order to build a sewage network in areas that don't have one

Water officials consider a couple of things when prioritising colonies — whether they have running water and whether they are close to an outfall or a vein of the existing sewer system, which can sufficiently transport the waste to a treatment plant

The DJB's sewer master plan focuses on the technicalities that determine the feasibility of getting pipes to these areas, such as the topography, climatology, geology and other factors.