Sewage woes continue in Ahmedgarh as Rs 8-cr STP remains non-operational

Despite supplementary arrangements by the civic body, the problem of overflowing sewage continues to plague residents of Ahmedgarh. The main reason cited for the persistent issue is the failure to link the Maherna drain with the town’s sewage treatment plant (STP).

The incomplete linkage has also forced the authorities concerned to restrict water supply in an effort to minimise sewage overflow in low-lying areas.

Although the STP, constructed at cost of more than Rs 8 crore, was completed months ago, it remains non-operational 58 months after the foundation stone was laid. MC officials said they were trying to get the construction of the 1.5-km pipeline expedited so that the plant could be inaugurated by MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra.

The foundation stone for the project was jointly laid by then Congress MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman and Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh Boparai on December 4, 2020. Suraaj Mohammad was the president of the municipal council then.

Now, after over 58 months later, the ‘dream project’ originally envisioned by then SAD president Paramjit Kaur Jassal in 2015 is still waiting to be commissioned under the Aam Aadmi Party government, even though work on the plant is nearly complete.

Residents of low-lying localities had hoped for relief from the overflowing sewage after work was expedited under the leadership of MC president Vikas Krishan over a year ago.

Clearing choked sewers and managing overflowing drains has remained the biggest challenge for the civic body since the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state over 42 months ago.

Ordinarily, sewer overflows are handled by sanitation workers in their designated beats. However, due to the severity of the problem, the supervisory staff has been compelled to deploy special teams to clear pipelines and manholes frequently.

Taking note of the prolonged delay, ADC (D) Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu has been visiting the plant regularly to monitor the process and expedite the final touches to the facility.

Vikas said the plant had already been tested and would soon functional after the disposal tanks are connected to the Maherna drain through the pipeline.

The project would function on the sequential batch reactor (SBR) process mechanism. The capacity of the plant is reported to be 5 million litres daily and is expected to cater to the needs of the town until the population reaches one lakh.

For years overflowing sewers have inconvenienced residents, especially during the rainy season. Locals allege a defective layout of sewers and the indifference of previous administrations has resulted in a situation where certain areas remained submerged due to the frequent overflow of sewage. Failure of the administration to ban the use of plastics was identified as another reason behind the blocking of sewers and pipelines.