President of India will inaugurate the first ever sewage treatment plant in the president’s estate this evening enabling the Rashtrapati Bhavan meet 80 % of its requirements for horticulture through recycled waste water
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the first ever Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in President’s Estate at 6.00 PM this evening (June 8, 2015).
This Sewage Treatment Plant, whose foundation stone was laid by the President on February 17, 2014, has been built in a record time of approximately one year and three months. The STP is in fulfillment of the recommendations of the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan prepared by INTACH.
The President’s Estate has over 190.5 acres of greenery, including the famous Mughal Gardens. There is, however, an acute shortage of water for horticulture purposes especially during the summer season which has led to degradation of the green cover and also resulted in the permanent loss of some variety of flora. The non availability of adequate water was also adversely affecting the fauna which depends on the eco-system around the forest area and green cover in the President’s Estate.
The Sewage Treatment Plant has a capacity of 20 lakh litres per day. The total water supply to the President’s Estate from NDMC and other sources is in the range of 16-18 lakh litres per day out of which 80% becomes sewage. This sewage and additional quantity tapped from North Avenue and South Avenue Network System will be treated and utilized for horticulture purposes in the Estate.
The project includes a Wetland which has been innovatively designed and planted with various species of trees, shrubs etc. This Wetland will support the flora and fauna in the region.
The capacity of the existing Dalikhana Lake which serves as the collection point of treated water has been increased three times from its earlier capacity and is now a water body of 5 million litres. This would serve in addition as a habitat for water birds in Northern Ridge area which lacks such water bodies. 18000 fishlings have also been added to the Dalikhana Lake.
IIT Delhi was the technical consultant for the Plant. Construction, operations and maintenance has been by M/s L&T. The STP is based on the Extended Aeration System with Anoxic Zone for De-nitrification and sub-Surface Constructed Wetland (SSCW) with UV Disinfection Unit.
***
AKT/SH/AK