City to have another STP

Considering the vastness of area, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is constructing another Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Kharghar.
Kharghar, one of the fastest developing nodes under CIDCO’s jurisdiction, already has one STP at Sector 16 with the capacity of 25 MLD. As this plant is not sufficient to treat the sewage water generated by the resident in the area, the planning authority has decided to construct another plant in the node.
“As of now Kharghar has a population of 2 lakh and around 35 MLD water is being discharged through the underground drainage of the area. The quantity of household sewage may increase in the future as many residential colonies are emerging in the node,” says Shrikant Gosavi, executive engineer of CIDCO.
He adds, “A plot measuring about 2.5 hector of land at Sector 15 of Kharghar has been designated. The construction is on in full swing. The site is just opposite the old STP.”
“We have employed expert consultants for the planning and execution of the project. The plant will have a capacity of recycling 70 ML sewage water in a day. We have estimated a budget of Rs 60 crore for this plant, and it will be completed in the next seven months,” he further continues.
Rushikesh Mhatre, a resident of Kharghar, says, “CIDCO is doing a great job by planning to construct a second STP in the node. Untreated sewage water may cause environmental issues in Kharghar in the future. The planning authority has taken a visionary step.”
Vijay Karandikar, another resident, says, “Kharghar is a node that suffers from frequent water crisis. If CIDCO is spending lakhs of rupees on the sewage treatment plant, it should also think of recycling the treated water so that the water can be used for household activities.”
He adds, “While the water cannot be used for drinking purposes, it can be used for flushing, gardening and other household activities.”

--Pranab jyoti bhuyan