Saturday, November 13, 2010

Sewerage treatment plant a distant dream

Rajiv Bhatia
Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, November 1
Despite massive urbanisation followed by a heavy influx of population, Zirakpur Municipal Council (MC) has failed to put in place a sewerage treatment plant. As a result, 2.5 million gallons (approx) a day of sewage generated from the urban conglomerate is being discharged in Sukhna Choe.

The MC has already spent lakhs of rupees to lay sewerage network across Zirakpur. But in absence of the sewerage treatment plant, the untreated sewage is polluting Sukhna Choe. Sources say that MC had failed to handover the land to Punjab Sewerage Board to set up the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP).

Recently, the Punjab Pollution Control Board had asked the MC to set up a sewerage treatment plant and set the deadline for its construction till March 2011. The board had also asked the MC that if they failed to meet the deadline it would have to pay Rs 2 lakh bank guarantee for an extension.

“The sewerage laying work is being carried out by Punjab Sewerage Department and around 85 per cent work has been completed. However, the council failed to hand over the land to the sewerage board for setting up the STP and till now the water is being released into Sukhna Choe,” said an official of the sewerage department.

MC sources said a case regarding the land in Singhpura village for the plant was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The pollution control board had asked the MC to finalise another land to set up the plant till March 2011, sources added.

According to the sewerage board official, the work of sewerage laying was in progress and would be completed by year end. The department had started the installation work of the Main Pumping Station (MPS) at Singhpura village where the STP is likely to be set up. The official said the pumping station would only help to extract the untreated water and would further dispose it in Ghaggar.

Official sources informed that the cost of sewerage project under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) was ` 52.19 crore and a grant of ` 18 crore (approx) has been sanctioned for the sewerage treatment plant (STP) by the Central government and the state government under the Urban Infrastructure and development of Small and Medium Town (UIDSMT) scheme.

Builders’ paradise, investors’ nightmare

Builders’ paradise, investors’ nightmare
Zirakpur cries for basic amenities

Rajiv Bhatia
Tribune News Service
Zirakpur, November 1

Zirakpur also known as builder’s paradise and a reasonable alternative for those who can’t afford a house in the relatively expensive tricity, the urban conglomerate is woefully lacking in infrastructure.

To cater to a population of about one lakh, there is inadequate water supply, insufficient government schools and poor health infrastructure.

A grand master plan for Zirakpur has remained only on papers. Ironically, the state government has focused its attention in obliging the builders lobby rather than setting up infrastructure. Zirakpur, due to its strategic location, out on both sides of the Chandigarh-Ambala and Panchkula- Patiala highways has seen prices of land touching the sky.

But when it comes to amenities, it leaves the residents gasping.

The unplanned growth, encroachments, building violations, congested roads, traffic jams, potholed roads, heaps of garbage, erratic power supply and inadequate water supply has made Zirakpur an investor’s nightmare.

The rapid growth of approved and unapproved residential colonies had created mess in the town.

Showing poor management and giving benefit to developers, the Municipal Council had failed to check the unplanned development of the town. Now, it would be difficult to develop the town according to an approved master plan.

BUS STAND: There is no bus stand in Zirakpur. In December last, the municipal council had planned to construct a modern AC bus stand on the Zirakpur-Panchkula intersection near Paras Down Town square. MC official said the land where the modern bus stand was proposed is owned by the PWD and the PIDB would construct the bus stand.

WATER: About 34 tubewells have so far been installed here in 15 wards and 13 new tubewells would be installed in next year to meet the demand of water supply. The town will also get a share of Kajauli water, as Punjab government has given its nod to the Kajauli water proposal for Mohali. According to sources, the total number of water connections in Zirakpur is 8,457 till August 31.

HOSPITALS: In absence of government hospitals in the town, residents have been forced to go to Chandigarh or Panchkula in case of an emergency. Residents rue that the town has big malls, marriage palaces and multi-storyed buildings, but the local authorities fail to provide health facilities. The local administration said the work of 30-bed hospital was in progress and would be operational soon.

ROADS: Many roads in the town are in a dilapidated condition. The Pabhat godown area roads are in a deplorable condition. Even the recently constructed flyover not solved the traffic problems here.

Officialspeak

For better infrastructure, the council has plans to strengthen roads. The work of laying of sewerage is mostly completed. The modern bus stand will be constructed by the PIDB near Zirakpur-Kalka intersection and planning was in process. Construction of 30-bed hospital is mostly completed. He claimed that soon the infrastructure of the town will be changed as per the master plan.

— MC president NK Sharma

SYNOPSIS

n Population: One lakh (approx)

n Area: 18 sq km

n Projected income from different sources: ` 23.60 crore (2010-2011)

n Housing projects: 70 existing and 13 up coming

n Water connections: 9,000

n Health: 3 ill-equipped dispensaries and seven sub-centres

n Public Transport: No public transport