24-03-2017, 04:01 PM
Sewerage and sanitation in the city remain poor throughout the year, but conditions worsen in many low-lying areas such as Pilikothi, Adampur, Kajjakpura, Jaitpura, Daranagar and other adjacent localities during the rainy season.
Jal Kal department officials state that sewer cleaning took place before the start of the monsoon. The problem arises because of the lower capacity of wastewater treatment plants (STPs).
"There are three STPs in Varanasi in Dinapur, Bhagwanpur and Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW). The total capacity of these plants is around 100 MLD and the total generation of wastewater in the city is 250 MLD per day. The STPs can not Carry the rest of the load. Wastewater can not be discharged into the untreated Ganga, reflux is occurring in many low lying areas, "Jal Kal BK Pandey general manager said.
Two STPs with a capacity of 150 MLD have been proposed, but construction can not be started due to lack of land availability. "The old sewage lines in many parts of the city are completely damaged and steps are being taken to repair the lines." Locations adjacent to old GT road areas such as Jaitpura, Kajjakpura, Pilikothi, Jalalipura and others are suffering from the problem of wastewater overflow. To repair the sewer lines had already begun, "he added.
The underground sewage system was established in 1917. During that period, the town's population was less than two lakhs and the total length of sewerage cover was 16.52 kilometers. "At present, the sewage system consists of 7.5 km of trunk and 810 branches," he said.
Due to the lack of an adequate rainwater drainage system in the city, the load is increasing on the sewer lines. A significant part of the city has open drains with sewage. During the monsoon, the monsoon carries wastewater and rainwater putting more pressure on sewage pumps
The shortage of labour is also hampering the work of the Jal Kal department. The department has a staff of 30 employees to care for the sewage system.
