7 years on, all three STPs in Muktsar lying dysfunctional

Archit Watts

Muktsar, January 31

All three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Muktsar have been lying non-functional for the past seven years. As a result, the contaminated water is being flown into the Chandbhan drain, which eventually falls into the Sutlej. Shockingly, the water is being used by farmers for irrigation purposes.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state government to stop this practice of discharging untreated municipal waste water into the drain.

Nothing on ground

• Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board officials have submitted their detailed project reports for the repair of the STPs, but nothing has been done on the ground till date
• Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, during his visit to Muktsar town in September last year, had also said the state government would spend Rs 10 crore on the maintenance of these STPs in five years

The town has three STPs, having capacity of 8.7 million litres per day (MLD), 5.7 MLD and 3.5 MLD. These were set up by the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation by spending nearly Rs 15 crore and handed over to the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board in 2021 in non-functional condition.

Since then, board officials have been submitting their detailed project reports (DPRs) for the repair of these STPs, but nothing has been done on the ground till date. Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, during his visit to Muktsar town in September last year, had also said the state government would spend Rs 10 crore on the maintenance of these STPs in five years.

Sources in the board said under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) project, the tenders for the repair of these STPs were invited nine times, but no company applied for it.

On the other hand, some local organisations have raised this issue several times and appealed to the state government to stop discharging untreated water into the drain.

Rakesh Makkar, Site Engineer, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, said, “The state government wants to set up one more STP having capacity of 5 MLD in the town. The setting up of a new STP and maintenance of the existing three STPs for five years will cost nearly Rs 19.75 crore.”