COIMBATORE: Though the works of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) that aims to carry treated water from Ondipudur to Kadukuttai near Chettipalayam were completed four months ago, the project is yet to materialise as officials of the Water Resource Organization (WRO) of Public Works Department (PWD) and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) are blaming each other.
While PWD officials claimed Tangedco has not taken steps to give free electricity to the project, sources at the power corporation said they are yet to get any application in this regard from the PWD.
The construction works of Rs 4.76-crore STP was started in 2020 for carrying treated sewage water from the plant to Kadukuttai, located 4.5 kilometres away.
Out of 60 MLD, the project aims to take up five MLD of water from the treatment plant to Kadukuttai. After laying pipelines and finishing the construction of pump house, the Water Resource Organization of PWD carried out a trial run last week. However, due to lack of electricity, the treated water is yet to be carried to Kadukuttai.
R Ganesan, a farmer from Chettipalayam said, “The work was completed in May. Trial run for carrying treated water from the plant to pond was successfully tested in July by using generator. However, the scheme is yet to be completed as electricity connection is not given,” he said, adding if treated water reach the pond, it will replenish the ground-water level in the locality.
Speaking to TNIE, A Nakkheeran, Superintendent Engineer (SE) of Tagedco, Coimbatore, said, “PWD should request the EB department for free electricity connection. So far the procedures have not been completed by PWD. We can process the request only after PWD completes the procedure.”
Meanwhile, an official from WRO of PWD denied the claim, saying they have already submitted the application with the department.