India approved Rs 425 crore for sewage infrastructure, ghat development and research

NEW DELHI (INDIA): The Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga in its 4th meeting held here today approved seven projects worth Rs 425 crore in the sector of sewage infrastructure, Ghat development and research.nnNational Ganga Council was setup under chairmanship of Prime Minister of India.nnIn sewage sector, three projects each in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been approved. For Uttar Pradesh, interception, diversion and STP projects for Unnao, Shuklaganj and Ramnagar have been approved. These three projects aim at creation of sewage treatment capacity of 29 MLD (Unnao- 13 MLD, Shuklaganj- six MLD and Ramnagar- ten MLD) at a total cost of Rs 238.64 crore.nnWhile in Bihar, three projects at Sultanganj, Naugachia and Mokama with total estimated cost of Rs 175 crore have been approved. These three projects will create additional sewage treatment capacity of 27 MLD (Sultanganj- ten MLD, Mokama- eight MLD and Naugachia- nine MLD).nnAll the six projects will be provided with Operation and Maintenance cost for 15 years by Central government and 100 per cent central assistance. It is also important to mention that Unnao and Sultanganj projects will be taken up under Hybrid Annuity based PPP model in which 60 per cent of the capital cost will be paid to the contractor who has constructed the STP, over a period of 15 years, on the basis of his work performance on the achievement of desired norms of treated waste water.nnA research study to understand the non-putrefying properties of river Ganga in both water and sediment was also approved at an estimated cost of Rs 4.96 crore. The study will be an extension of a research carried out by National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to identify the special properties of river?s waters. This research would focus on finding out the science behind these special properties in order to formulate a strategy to retain these characteristics.