NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Thursday said it has issued a SOPs to ensure proper disposal of septage/fecal sludge generated from septic tanks from households in unauthorised colonies where sewerage network has not been laid so far.
Officials in the corporation said that with this they also want to ensure that this septage doesn’t end up in city drains. The move has been due since the National Green Tribunal asked all civic bodies to ensure septage management in unauthorised colonies, which goes in the drains and ultimately ends up in the Yamuna, thus adding to its pollution load.
“We will facilitate septage collection, its proper disposal and to ensure no dumping of septage/sludge into drains. Residents may contact 206 registered de-sludging operators, the list of which is available on SDMC’s website,” said a senior SDMC official. Civic officials further said that the corporation is carrying out a lot of awareness activities around the initiative so as to educate residents to avail of this service for cleaning of their septic tanks.
As per the action plan, no septic tank cleaning should be carried out without informing SDMC for which respective Executive Engineers (maintenance) have been made Nodal Officers. All septic tanks and house sewer connections constructed by private entities, etc where sewer lines are not being maintained by Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Executive Engineer will ensure facilitation of septage collection and its transportation to DJB STPs.
“Houses directly discharging sludge into the stormwater drain should be identified and connection should be trapped at source. A close vigil will be kept to ensure no unauthorised dumping into drains along embankments and roadsides,” the official said.