The Times of India               30.05.2013

Nagpur Municipal Corporation budgets Rs 1 crore for gabion check dams

NAGPUR: The Nag River rejuvenation project got a big boost in the budget presented by standing committee chairperson Avinash Thakre. The total cost of rejuvenation project is 126.30 crore and NMC's 30% share comes to about 38 crore. While 20 crore has been set aside in this budget, the remaining 18 crore will be sanctioned in the 2014-15 budget. Thakre also sanctioned 5 crore for works to reduce sewage discharge in the river.

The standing panel chief said a large number of nullahs carrying sewage were emptying into the river. To clean the water in these nullahs, gabion check dams will be built on them. Rs1 crore has been sanctioned for this.

Septic tanks have been constructed on nullahs that empty into Nag River. However, at many places these have developed cracks and the sewage was entering the nullahs, polluting Nag River. Another Rs1 crore has been sanctioned for repairing them.

NMC has decided to construct decentralized water treatment plants (DWATs) for every locality with over 5,000 population. These will treat sewage water through natural methods like biodigestion and the water will be used for gardens and construction work. As biodigestors are located below ground level, the DWAT land can be used for other purposes.

Environmentalist Sudhir Paliwal is, however, not impressed. "The money will be spent on laying pipelines to transport sewage to Bhandewadi so treated water can be sold. It should be used for setting up mini STPs. The aim should to treat sewage and release treated water into the river. Only then should NMC turn to pipelines," he stressed.

Kaustav Chatterjee of Green Vigil agreed, "We need to utilize money for small STPs of 1 to 5 MLD capacity along the river."