Jamshedpur: Nine major drains continue to discharge untreated waste into the Subarnarekha River—the lifeline of Jamshedpur—as a critical ₹72 crore Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) project remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo. While the Urban Development Department has granted technical approval for the scheme, the lack of budget allocation has halted progress on the ground.
Project Scope and Land Allocation
The project requires 4.5 acres of land across three specific locations in the Mango Municipal Corporation area. Authorities have already identified the sites:
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Chanakyapuri: 1 acre
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Lakshman Nagar: 3 acres
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Baikunth Nagar: 0.5 acres
Once operational, the plants will treat 31.5 million liters (MLD) of sewage daily before releasing clean water into the Subarnarekha River.
Budgetary Delays and Missed Deadlines
The consultancy firm NJS prepared the detailed project report (DPR) during the 2023-24 financial year. Despite an initial “green light” from the department, the project has failed to reach the tendering stage because the government has not yet released the funds. Consequently, the Mango Municipal Corporation recently sent a reminder to the department, urgently requesting the budget to address the city’s sanitation crisis.
Official Statement
Krishna Kumar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Mango Municipal Corporation, confirmed the deadlock. “We have obtained technical approval for the STP project, but we lack the funds to begin construction,” Kumar stated. “We have written to the Urban Development Department again requesting the budget. We will prioritize the work as soon as we receive the allocation.”
