Sewerage project set for take-off

Housing and Urban Development Minister Debi Pasad Mishra on Sunday informed that the long awaited integrated sewerage system for Sambalpur town will be executed this financial year.

Reviewing the progress of government programmes during his visit to Sambalpur, Mishra said the objective of the proposed project is to improve the overall sanitation of the town and the quality of life besides reducing non-point source of pollution and abatement of pollution in river Mahanadi flowing along the town.

The proposed sewerage system will cover areas from Mandlia to Bhatra, both extreme points of the town, covering 34 square kms and will be commissioned at an estimated cost of ` 357.52 crore. The total length of sewer network for the proposed project will be 252.8 kms to be developed at a cost of ` 181.27 crore. It will be supported by eight pumping stations at strategic locations which will be built at a cost of ` 11.44 crore.

Besides, a 42 MLD Sewarage Treatment Plant (STP) has also been mooted to be constructed at Bhatra, at an estimated cost of ` 25.01 crore which will be used to generate 13.4 kw of power.

The proposed project has been designed keeping in mind the projected population of the town at 3.63 lakhs by 2045. The present population of the town is 1.92 lakhs which is expected to go up to 2.11 lakhs by 2015 while it is likely to reach 3.05 lakhs by 2030.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been approved by the Ministry of Urban Development and sent to Department of Economic Affairs for funding by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A team of JICA, headed by the country officer of South Asia Development, Koji Honda visited the State Capital and accessed the feasibility of the project. The project has been listed in the rolling plan of current year.