The Faecal Sludge and Septage Treatment Plant taken up under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) at Bomfyle Road, Laitumkhrah here was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually.
The programme was a parallel function in Meghalaya for the Swachh Bharat Diwas (Clean India Day) during which Modi dedicated a number of projects to the nation.
Constructed by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) at a cost of Rs 52.08 crore, the project also includes four onsite STP for the outfalls of Wah Umkhrah and Umshyrpi.
The plant is designed to treat faecal sludge and septage, which includes untreated and partially treated sewage, solid, liquid, and sludge from on-site sanitation systems.
Notably, the plant will serve the Shillong Urban Agglomeration areas and has a designed capacity to treat 350 kilolitres of septage/waste water per day.
The treated water can be discharged into the environment or it may be recycled within the plant.
“This plant will cover one lakh household waste in the city,” cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said at the inauguration programme.
According to Lyngdoh, Shillong city generates about 32.37 million litres of sewage per day which include both black water that is going into the septic tanks and grey water that is discharged from the kitchen and bathrooms into the open storm water drains.
“Most of the city wastewater is collected and partially treated in septic tanks. When the septic tank is full, the septage and the sludge is collected by SMB’s cesspool and treated at the septage plant at Marten which has a capacity to treat 115 kiloliters of septage per day,” she added.
Lyngdoh also informed that the State government is also in the process of setting up decentralised sewage treatment plants at locations which are inaccessible by cesspool.
Around 24 cesspool tankers have also been procured under this project for timely collection of septage to ensure that the septic tanks shall not overflow.
Lyngdoh also appreciated the efforts of communities and traditional institutions in taking the lead in waste management and stressed that it is only collective efforts that yield proper results.
She highlighted the need for cesspool vehicles of different sizes and proper connections to be able to access all households.
Urban Affairs Director Isawanda Laloo highlighted that the State government is celebrating a major milestone in our journey towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable city where every citizen has access to sanitation and hygiene.
“We are proud to have made significant strides in waste management, with 171 metric tons of solid waste handled daily,” Laloo said.
“Our goal is to ensure that every drop of water is treated and reused, preserving our precious resources. We honour the hardworking municipal workers and sanitation staff who keep our city clean and healthy. Let us continue to work together, as a community, to protect our environment for future generations,” she added.
During this occasion, 18 workers of the SMB were felicitated by the National Insurance Company Ltd (a Government of India Undertaking) through a Janata Personal Accident Policy worth about Rs 2 lakh each.
