The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved projects worth Rs.1,900 crore on Monday for the creation of sewage treatment infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi under the Namami Gange Programme.

The NMCG has given the go-ahead to projects to the tune of Rs.4,100 crore during the past three months in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi. In April, MNCG had approved 26 projects at an estimated cost of Rs. 2154.28 crore to set up and upgrade STPs (sewage treatment plants) along the Ganga and its tributaries.

While a comprehensive project of interception, diversion and treatment of sewage in Naini, Phaphamau and Jhunsi sewerage zones of Allahabad was approved at an estimated cost of Rs.767.59 crore, another project for construction of a 42 MLD (million litres per day) STP was approved for Naini.

These projects also encompass building of eight sewage pumping stations among other works, said a senior officer of the Water Resources Ministry. None of the three zones have any sewerage schemes or any sanctioned STPs as yet. With approval of these projects 100% sewage treatment capacity can be achieved in Allahabad, he added.

The projects along with the existing ones would take care of sewage management of the core city of Allahabad bound by the Ganga and Yamuna, the Ministry said. The projects would also arrest flowing waste water of 18 drains into the rivers to ensure pollution-free water for bathing at Sangam during Ardh Kumbh mela 2019.

Other projects which were approved include three for sewage treatment infrastructure for Pahari sewage zone in Patna city. Under the project, a 60 MLD STP will be constructed after laying sewerage lines at an estimated cost of about Rs 744 crore.

In Delhi, construction of as many as seven prioritised STPs of total capacity of 94 MLD in Najafgarh area have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs.344.81 crore under ‘Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna’ project that was initiated on the directions of National Green Tribunal (NGT). Najafgarh drain contributes around 70 per cent of the total discharge of the city into the Yamuna that includes a lot of untreated sewage. The locations where STPs have been approved are Tajpur Khurd (36 MLD), Jaffarpur Kalan (12 MLD), Khera Dabar (5 MLD), Hasanpur (12 MLD), Kakraula (12 MLD), Kair (5 MLD) and Tikri Kalan (12 MLD).

On afforestation front, an all-encompassing programme in five Ganga main stem states ~ Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal ~ at an estimated cost of Rs.61.5 crore has also been given a go-ahead. This would include sapling preparations in nurseries, soil work, plantation and care.