Mail News Service
Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Dec 10 :The Jharkhand government on Wednesday presented a detailed clarification in the State Assembly on steps being taken to prevent pollution in the Subernarekha and Kharkai rivers, following an unstarred question raised by Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy.
Raising concerns over unchecked sewage and waste flowing from Ranchi and Jamshedpur into the Subernarekha, Roy asked whether it was true that the river was being heavily polluted by urban discharge.
Responding to the query, the government stated that multiple sewage treatment plant (STP) projects are underway to prevent contamination of the river.
On the question of defunct STPs constructed along Ranchi’s Harmu River, the government clarified that the Harmu River Restoration and Conservation Project, initiated under Agreement No. 06/JUDCO dated February 24, 2015, had been completed on October 31, 2018.
As per the agreement, the contractor operated and maintained the constructed STPs for five years, which has also been completed. Further arrangements for continued maintenance are currently in process.
The government added that a 37 MLD capacity STP at Bargai, meant for nine wards (1–5 and 30–33), has been completed and is fully functional. Treated water from this plant is being discharged into Bada Talab after processing.
Responding to Roy’s query on whether civic bodies in Jamshedpur and Mango have failed to take measures to treat polluted outflows from drains entering the Subernarekha and Kharkai rivers, the government said that a consultant had carried out a detailed survey.
According to the report, nine drains in Mango Municipal Corporation and twelve drains under Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee fall directly into the Subarnarekha.
To address this, the government has prepared Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to construct STPs at different locations so that only treated water is released into the river.
In Mango, DPRs for all nine drains have been readied. In Jamshedpur, work has begun in phases—tendering has already been completed for the first phase, which includes constructing a 1.2 MLD STP and an interception-and-diversion (I&D) system for three drains.
Additionally, a final DPR for a 44 MLD STP has also been submitted, and further action is underway.
The government said it remains committed to reducing river pollution through systematic sewage treatment and infrastructure expansion across Ranchi and Jamshedpur.
