BMC to water city plants with treated waste water this summer

Bhubaneswar: For better use of waste water generated from sewerage treatment plants (STP) and faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTP), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to water trees along medians in city’s arterial roads, vacant spaces where plantation has been taken up and the places where avenue plantation has been done.

There are two FSTP and three STP from where altogether 1,000 litres of waste water is used to irrigate the plants. While the plantation sites close to the plants are irrigated with the waste water for other arterial roads, water tankers supply the water, said BMC additional commissioner Kailash Chandra Dash.

BMC officials said in summer the initiative will help prevent damage to the city’s green canopy. “We have decided to intensify the watering twice a day. We will double the quantity of water to be sprinkled on plants, which will include waste as well as normal water. There are shrubs along the medians and at spaces that have been beautified. The move is to ensure survival of plants till the monsoon,” Dash said.

In summer, according to BMC estimate, 16,000 litres of water for the plants is required out of which 1,000 litres is available from the STPs and FSTPs, officials said.

For daily watering the plants, BMC does it in collaboration with Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC). The BMC looks after a total of 55-km stretch of medians to nurture the green plantation. While the OFDC uses its resources and manpower for the purpose, the civic body provides fund.

“Apart from the medians, six big parks are also supplied water in tankers. The mini parks are taken care of by the resident welfare associations as water is stored there and that is sufficient. The medians have exotic and decorative varieties of plants that need proper care,” a BMC officer said.

In last monsoon, BMC launched a massive plantation drive at 77 parks, 32 crematoriums and medians of main arterial roads. More than 10,000 trees were planted. Shade-bearing trees were planted mostly in crematoriums.