Faridabad: Sewage Treatment Plant not working for 6 years, waste piles up on 45 acres

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, May 3

A sewage treatment plant (STP), built at a cost of several lakhs near Mirzapur village falling in the civic limits of the city, has not been functional for the past over six years. It has led to the accumulation of sewage waste on 45 acres, adversely affecting both the living conditions and the ecology.

The filthy civic conditions that have developed in wake of constant release of untreated waste have left the villagers at a receiving end.

“Instead of providing relief, the STP has emerged as a source of constant pollution and unhealthy civic conditions, forcing some families migrate to other localities. I am among the ones who have shifted out,” says Narveer Yadav, a former resident.

Though the issue has been taken up with the authorities concerned including the Twitter handle of the CM and other officials, no relief has come till date, he claims.

Balwan Singh, another resident, said that the sewage has not only affected the air and water quality but has left the plants and trees damaged.

“The stinking water has become a source of diseases, besides the foul smell,” says Udham Singh, another resident.

“The 45 million litres per day (MLD) STP, meant for treating sewage collected from various parts of the city, had been set up under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) about 20 years ago. But due to poor upkeep, it became non-functional,” claim sources in the civic body. Though the city needs sewage treatment capacity of 500 MLD, the treatment of up to 35 MLD is available, it is revealed.

Nitin Kadian, Executive Engineer, Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), claimed that the Mirzapur STP was transferred to the MCF in a dilapidated condition in 2014. He said the civic body was building new STPs of the capacity of 80 and 100 MLD respectively at Mirzapur and Pratapgarh villages and these would be ready next year. Another STP of 30 MLD capacity, constructed by HSVP, is also likely to be ready by July 2022, it is added.