AMC to spend Rs 12.5cr to free river of untreated sewage

Two years ago the Gujarat high court took suo motu cognizance of the fact that domestic sewage was not being treated according to the proper standards at the civic body's sewage treatment plant (STP) at Pirana and that many drains still bypass the STP and release untreated waste into the Sabarmati river.

As the problem persists, the AMC has finally moved to invest Rs 12.56 crore to address this illegal discharge.

The AMC has now realized that it needs to divert the illegal sewage flow to the STP, where it can be treated to the standard demanded by the court.

The AMC will set up a 106 million litres per day (MLD) electro-mechanical sewage pumping station and give it to a private operator to run and maintain for five years to send the additional sewage to the STP.

The AMC says it treats sewage at 14 STPs in the city and then releases treated water into the Sabarmati

The AMC has begun implementing plans to strengthen STPs in the city after receiving a Rs 3,000 crore loan from the World Bank, but the tenders of the first phase are pending.