Thiruvananthapuram corporation moots Japanese STP for Rajaji Nagar colony
STP to prevent flow of grey water, sewage to Amayinzhanchan canal
Published: 30th September 2023 07:33 AM | Last Updated: 30th September 2023 07:33 AM | A+A A-
Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. (File photo)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to curb pollution of water bodies, the city corporation is considering to set up ‘Johkasuo’ – compact STP (sewage treatment plant) based on Japanese technology – at Rajaji Nagar, one of the densely populated slum areas in the city close to Amayizhanchan Canal. The civic body plans to implement the project with the Kerala Water Authority (KWA).
According to sources, the civic body has engaged the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for conducting a comprehensive sanitation survey at the colony to find out the requirements. A senior corporation official told TNIE that the Johkasuo system is very compact, efficient and cost-effective and that the project would be finalised after the survey. The plan is to set up the STP in the colony to prevent the flow of grey water and sewage waste from the colony to the Amayinzhanchan canal, which is clogged with waste.
“Waste management is a real issue at Rajaji Nagar which has over 1,000 dwelling units. On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti Day, we are planning for a mass clean-up drive. Though, we have removed tonnes of legacy waste from the colony, wastewater and sewage management is still a crisis. We plan to set up the STP within six months, preliminary works for which have already begun,” said Thampanoor ward councillor Harikumar.
In a bid to address the waste menace at the colony, the civic body has also engaged the services of Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) for door-to-door waste collection.
“Though initially, the residents were not cooperating, now around 800 households at the colony are handing over the waste. We are offering these services free of cost as the residents were not ready to pay for HKS services. Polluting water bodies is a serious and non-bailable offense. In the coming days with the help of police, we will sensitise the people who are not cooperating,” said an official.
The unauthorised waste handlers hailing from the colony giving illegal service to the city residents are under scanner. “We are also collecting those waste from them. Every day, around 200kg of plastic waste is collected from the colony, otherwise they will dump it in the canal. We have also set up fencing and trash booms inside the canal for collecting floating waste,” the official said.
