Work for sewage treatment plant resumes amid protests

Tension escalated at Talwari village in Fatehabad district near the Haryana-Punjab border, as the construction work for much-delayed sewage treatment plant (STP) resumed on Saturday. The project, crucial to resolving the village’s sewage problem, has faced a stiff opposition from local residents for the past two years.

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The Panchayat Department’s plan to build the STP has been met with resistance from villagers who are apprehensive that the proposed plant at this location will have a negative effect on the area.

In view of objections from the villagers, authorities deployed a large number of police personnel as the work resumed. Nearly 70 male police personnel and over 30 female personnel were stationed under the leadership of Duty Magistrate Rashwinder Singh and Jakhal police station chief Radheshyam.

The STP aims to manage the village’s wastewater, which has been flowing into Ghaggar river for years. The villagers have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the plant and have called for a solution. The Panchayat Department decided to build the plant on panchayat land, where a pond would be dug up to treat the wastewater, which could then be reused for irrigation. However, the project faced opposition from the local community. Uttam Singh, a village resident, said, “The location for the plant is at a higher level, far from the main village area. The land near the Ghaggar river is vacant and will be a better choice for the plant.”

Sarabjit Singh, another villager, added, “We’ve been protesting for months, but despite our objections the authorities are continuing with the work. It feels like they are forcing the STP upon us.”

Malik Singh, another villager, said, “The authorities are ignoring our concerns. We’ve raised our voices, but it seems like our objections don’t matter. The pipe-laying work is happening without considering our views.”

Expressing his frustration, local farmer Jagroop Singh said, “The decision will harm everyone in the village. We’ve tried to stop the project for over a year, but the authorities are not listening to us.”

Despite the protests, the Panchayat Department is determined to go ahead with the project. Naib Tehsildar Rashwinder Singh said, “We had informed the villagers in advance. The project is important for the village’s welfare in the long run and we’ve made all arrangements to ensure it proceeds smoothly.” The STP to be built at a cost of Rs 72 lakh will be 200 feet long, 70 feet wide and 10 feet deep, with a 350 ft pipeline to direct wastewater to the facility.

According to SDO Balwan Singh and Junior Engineer Sanjeev Bhatia, the plant will treat the sewage and make the water reusable for irrigation, solving the wastewater issue. “The plant is critical, and we must complete it soon to prevent further harm to environment,” the SDO said. The National Green Tribunal had even fined the department for failing to prevent sewage from flowing into Ghaggar river.