To reduce pollution in Yamuna, drain water to be treated in Panipat, Karnal

To reduce the pollution load in Yamuna, the Irrigation Department would treat the water flow at three places -- Kachroli, Kurar and Khojkipur -- before it meets the river.

The department has constructed a storage reservoir-cum-match box treatment structure at drain number 2 near Kurar village to treat the water. The process to construct two more structures is underway.

The drain covers approximately 40-km stretch in Panipat district and 10 km in Karnal. In Panipat, drain-1 and drain-2, considered to be the major cause behind the Yamuna pollution, flow through the city and rural areas.

The 8-km-long drain-1 flows from Kabri road to Chautala road and after that it meets drain-2, which meets the Yamuna at Khojkipur village.

Scores of industrial units, bleaching and dyeing units along drain-2 discharge untreated effluent directly into it. As per the sources, the samples collected by the HSPCB from Khojkipur failed multiple laboratory tests and also revealed severe pollution levels. The biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), the total dissolved solids (TDS), oil and grease were found more than permissible limits.

Now, to reduce the pollution load in Yamuna, the Irrigation Department has decided to treat the water of drain-2 in stretches before it meets with Yamuna. Suresh Saini, XEN, Irrigation Department said approximately 80 cusec water, which is badly polluted, flows on an average during the non-rainy season. During the rainy season, the heavy water flows from it due to which the pollution is diluted and the drain gets cleaned, he further said.

Now, it has been decided to treat the drain water by making three MBT structures at Kachroli, Kurar and Khojkipur. The structure at Kurar has been constructed at Rs 10 crore, he said.

As per the project, the water would be stored in the drain for around 15 days at Kachroli, Kurar and Khojkipur. A total 98 hectare metre water would be stored in the 12 km area at Kachroli for around 5-6 days. Around 112 hectare metre water would be stored in around 13.5-km area at Kurar and after that around 125 hectare water would be stored at Khojkipur MBT structure in 14.50-km stretch, he said. During the storage at three steps, water would be treated and its BOD and COD level would be reduced with aerator and other equipment, he added.

According to the project, approximately 335 hectare metre water would be stored at three places, which would not only increase the ground water level, but also make micro-irrigation in 10,000 acres possible, he said.

Recently, Rajesh Khullar, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister visited Kurar village to inquire about the MBT structure and also directed for sampling of the water after storage and after releasing of the water. DC Virender Kumar Dahiya said the tender process for the Kachroli project has begun while the department has prepared estimates for the Khojkipur project.

These projects would help farmers in irrigation and fisheries, the groundwater would be recharged and the clean water would be discharged into Yamuna, which would also help in reducing the pollution load, the Deputy Commissioner maintained.