Lohta to get 274 crore sewage treatment plant

Varanasi: In a bid to make the Ganga-Varuna pollution-free, the tender process for the construction of a 60 MLD (million litres per day) capacity sewage treatment plant (STP) at a cost of over Rs 274 crore in the Lohta area is now complete.The Varuna meets the Ganga at Adikeshav Ghat. Thus, the STP construction is expected to prove effective in making both the Ganga and Varuna rivers pollution-free. Along with the STP construction, 13 drains flowing into the Varuna will also be tapped so that sewage does not flow directly into the river.The water corporation's Ganga pollution unit conducted a survey about 1.5 years ago. After the survey, the corporation sent a proposal to the central water resources ministry to build four STPs at a cost of Rs 178 crore, keeping in mind the city's population till 2037. This includes a 55 MLD capacity STP being built in Bhagwanpur at a cost of Rs 308 crore and a seven MLD capacity STP in Sujabad at a cost of Rs 96 crore.Now, the path for a 60 MLD STP in Lohta is also completely cleared. In this regard, Union water resources minister CR Patil visited Bedauli village in Lohta on Thursday, where approval was given for a new 60 MLD capacity STP to stop untreated sewage flowing into the Varuna through the Durga drain from the Lohta. The minister conducted a detailed review of the current progress of construction work. The minister clearly stated that implementation of all projects should be in accordance with prescribed standards and within stipulated time.Along with Bedauli, the Central minister also inspected the newly constructed 55 MLD capacity STP in Bhagwanpur. Here, the functioning of the 50 MLD main pumping station (MPS), built to stop additional sewage flowing into the Ganga from the Assi drain, was examined. Patil gave strict instructions to officials to accelerate the diversion works and complete them in a quality manner so that sewage from every corner of Varanasi moves forward only after treatment.