Kotdwar town, the gateway to Pauri Garhwal district, has also now joined the ambitious Namami Gange program of the Central Government. In the meeting of National Clean Ganga Mission held in New Delhi on Tuesday, the project of tapping of nine drains falling into Khoh river in Kotdwar and construction of STP (sewage treatment plant) of 21 MLD (million liter daily) capacity at a cost of Rs 135 crore was approved. In principle approval was given.
Sewage related problems will be solved
Once the project comes on the ground, the major problem related to sewage of Kotdwar will be solved. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for this. The Khoh river flowing from Kotdwar city further joins the Ramganga, which is a tributary of the Ganga. Earlier the form of Kotdwar city was quite small, time changed and with the expansion of the city, it has now been upgraded as a Municipal Corporation. In such a situation, the sewage system there is not in a position to bear the pressure of increasing population. Not only this, the STP of Kotdwar was in Bijnor district in undivided Uttar Pradesh. After the formation of the state, disposal of sewage had become a big challenge due to the objection of Bijnor Forest Division. Sewage filth was flowing into the Khoh River. In view of this, efforts were started to include Kotdwar in the Namami Gange programme.
CM Dhami had requested
Some time ago, a proposal for tapping the drains falling into the Khoh River and construction of STP was sent to the National Clean Ganga Mission. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had also requested the Union Jal Shakti Minister to approve this proposal soon. The proposal related to this project of Kotdwar was approved after discussion in the meeting of the Executive Committee held under the chairmanship of Mission Director General G Ashok Kumar on Tuesday.
Secretary Drinking Water Arvind Singh Hayanki and Program Director of Namami Gange program in the state Ranveer Singh Chauhan joined the meeting virtually. The construction of the project will improve the ecosystem of Khoh and Ramganga rivers and will stop the flow of contaminated water into the Ganga.
