

Ever since I came to Nagpur in the early 90s, I have only seen the Nag River in the form of a huge drain. While a river passing through an urban landscape paints a beautiful, idyllic picture in ones mind, what one sees in Nagpur is a huge turn-off. The condition of the river makes the stories about its past glory seem like a fable. The task ahead of us - restoring this glory - is Herculean but not an impossible one.

Many river rejuvenation projects have been taken up in European countries. They have been successful due to the joint efforts by the politicians, social scientists and public along with engineers and scientists. Blaming the civic authorities for the dismal condition of the river is unjustifiable as people of the city play a major role in this regard. It would be very difficult for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation ( NMC ) to do this all by itself.

Tonnes of garbage thrown into the river everyday can permeate into the groundwater and mix with the drinking water. It is sad that we are not only shirking our basic responsibility but dumping waste into the river. We are adding to the problem by way of illegal construction and unauthorized lanes along its banks.

The city generates around 360 MLD wastewater everyday. The sewage treatment plant at Bhandewadi has the capacity of 100 MLD. The civic body is trying its best by planning sewer lines and constructing more treatment plants. Along with this, a citizen-based approach is needed to treat wastewater and utilize it. Like prevention is better than cure in case of our own health, restricting the wastewater discharge into the river is the best cure for its rejuvenation. Often, the aim of any river restoration project is not to return it to the original condition, but primarily restore the essential processes and elements of the degraded riverine ecosystem. The degree of success depends on the target set at the beginning of the project, along with stakeholder involvement, political acceptance and engineering services.

There is a mandate of the ministry of environment and forests, Government of India that a residential complex with more than 80 tenements should have an arrangement for treating its own wastewater. But only a few of the newly developing townships on the outskirts of the city are able to properly do it, perhaps due to lack of knowledge and expertise. Scientists from India and European Union are working on a joint venture to set up a wastewater treatment plant at Ajni that will be able to treat 100 cubic meter wastewater per day. We aim to make it a model plant that can be replicated by townships and colonies.

A good sewer network is required to dispose of the waste in the right way. Wherever this is not provided, the citizens need to get it done from the civic officials, along with wastewater treatment facilities and reuse options.

- Pawan Labhsetwar

(The writer is a scientist and head of water technology and management division at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri). He spoke to Payal Gwalani)

