River pollution; Nagpur ZP recommends STP to be set up through MIDC

* Feels that it would be appropriate if project report to curb river pollution is prepared through NIT
* A note prepared by ZP counters the perception that domestic sewage from six villages was polluting Nag, Wena rivers; and claims that discharge of untreated industrial effluent from MIDC area was responsible for river pollution

Staff Reporter
Responding to the issue of pollution of rivers due to effluents discharged from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area and villages around the city, Zilla Parishad (ZP) undertook a study and site inspections. After the exercises, ZP has observed that rivers or nullahs were getting polluted not due to sewage discharge from villages in the vicinity of Nagpur city.
The perception that portions of Nag and Wena rivers and various nullahs outside the limits of Nagpur city were getting polluted/contaminated due to sewage discharge from nearby villages, is ‘wrong’, states a note prepared by ZP. MIDC Industries Asociation had stated that sewage generated in households in villages in the vicinity of Nagpur city, towards Hingna, was polluting the rivers and nullahs. ZP note counters the claims of MIDC Industries Assocation.
“On site visit, it was found that river Wena was getting polluted as the untreated industrial effluents from MIDC area were being discharged into the drainages of Gram Panchayat area,” states ZP note. A tem of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Advanced Technology Support (ATS) Sub-Division also visited the sites and suggested setting up of a single large sewage treatment plant (STP) for all six Gram Panchayats -- Digdoh, Nildoh, Nagalwadi, Wanadongri, Isasani, and Raipur.
The exercise of site inspection was taken up by ZP after a multi-agency meeting held at the initiative of Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar on April 25 earlier this year. Accordingly, ZP team paid a visit to sites of Nag river, Wena river, and various nullahs and the villages of Digdoh, Nildoh, Nagalwadi, Wanadongri, Isasani, and Raipur towards Hingna outside the limits of Nagpur city. It also conducted a meeting of Sarpanch, Deputy Sarpanch, ZP and Panchayat Samiti members from respective villages, Gramsevak, and officials of MIDC, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Water Supply Department, ATS Sub-Division of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) etc.
Later, the situation of sewage disposal from the above-mentioned villages was discussed in detail. It came out that these six villages had a total  of 3,154 households without toilet. To ensure that this fact does not result in contamination of natural water in rivers and nullahs, ZP has proposed to include all these six villages under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan under which toilets will be constructed.
After study and site visits, ATS Sub-Division of MJP suggested that if land was available along the river or nullah banks, proposal for STP could be moved. However, NABARD norms state that Gram Panchayat owned land should be available along the banks and the water treated in STP should be made available for agricultural purposes. As Gram Panchayat owned land is not available along the banks of Nag and Wena rivers, and agricultural lands are not available due to rapid urbanisation, STP cannot be set up, states the note prepared by ZP. It further recommends setting up of STP through MIDC as pollution of rivers/nullahs could be attributed to discharge of untreated industrial effluent. To curb water pollution, Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) should be asked to prepare a project report, suggests ZP note.

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