Amritsar Municipal Corporation official conducts surprise check at STPs, finds efficiency below average

Amritsar, February 8

The Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner conducted an inspection at sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Gaunsabad village on Ram Tirath Road and Khaparkheri village on Sun Sahib Road today. During the inspection, MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of the STPs.

After visiting the STPs at Gaunsabad and Khaparkheri villages, the MC Commissioner said he examined the capacity and quality of the plants, but it was found unsatisfactory.

MC Commissioner called Maninder Singh, Executive Engineer (EE), Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), on the spot and asked about the functioning of the STPs. The EE apprised the MC Commissioner about the functioning of STPs, but the actual condition of the plants was different from the facts highlighted by the PWSSB official.

MC Commissioner said as per the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), three STPs were constructed in Amritsar under Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) project. The responsibility of implementation of the project was assigned to Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB). A private firm Shapoorji Pallonji was hired for the construction of the three STPs and for their maintenance for five years. The maintenance contract would end in March, 2024. The MC is responsible to pay for the maintenance of the STPs.

“In a surprise inspection of the STPs, it has been found that 70 per cent of machines and equipment require immediate repair. The efficiency of these STPs is below average,” said the MC Commissioner.

He instructed Superintending Engineer (SE), operation and maintenance (O&M) wing of the MC, to prepare a report accordingly and fix responsibility of the damage so that the government could be made aware of the facts.

SE Sandeep Singh, SE Lata Chauhan, EE Manjeet Singh and JE Narinder Bedi accompanied the MC Commissioner during inspection.