Punjab Chief Minister Paraksh Singh Badal today asked the Finance department to immediately release Rs.43 crore to the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) for the timely completion of ongoing construction of Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) along with river Ghaggar in the state. Reviewing the progress of the steps taken by the PWSSB and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for the construction of STPs in the towns along the river Ghaggar, the Chief Minister sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs.43 crore for the completion of STPs and directed the Secretary Local government to ensure these were make operational at the earliest. Meanwhile, Secretary Local government Mr. Ashok Gupta apprised the Chief Minister that out of 21 towns on river Ghaggar, eight STPs in seven towns namely Zirakpur, Mohali, Banur, Patiala (two), Samana, Sardulgarh and Bhikhi have been installed and commissioned and five STPs in four towns viz Patran, Mandi Gobindgarh, Rajpura (two) and Moonak were under installation and likely to be completed by December 31, 2015. Apart from this, funds for the six STPs in five towns (Sunam, Longowal, Khanauri, Derabassi (two) and Lehragagga, have already been tied up and would be completed by March 31, 2016.
Besides, Mr. Gupta also informed that funds amounting to Rs.170 crore were to be tied up for six STPs in five towns (Sirhind, Bassi Pathana, Sangrur (two), Nabha and Sanur). He told Mr. Badal that the land for the installation of three STPs of 4, 5 and 2 MLD capacity was available and the work could be started soon. He assured that the tenders in this regard would be floated within a week. Responding to another issue regarding the installation of two STPs at Derabassi to be undertaken by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), Chief Administrator GMADA informed one STP was under construction and for second STP de-notification of land was required.
The Chief Minister asked his Principal Secretary Mr. S.K. Sandhu to regularly monitor the progress of the STPs along the river Ghaggar so that the executing agencies may not face any hardship on account of technical and financial aspect. He also directed all the agencies to keep a strict vigil on the quality of construction work besides allocating these works to the reputed construction companies on merit without any prejudice or favour adding he said the quality norms as per the stipulated guidelines must not be compromised in any case.
Prominent amongst other who were present in the meeting included Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. S.K. Sandhu, Secretary Science, Technology and Environment Mr. K.A.P Sinha, Secretary Local Government Mr. Ashok Gupta, CEO PWSSB Mr. D.K. Tiwari, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Ajoy Sharma, CA GMADA Mr. A.K. Sinha, MD PSIEC Mr. Amit Dhaka, Chairman PPCB Mr. Manjit Singh, Member Secretary PPCB Dr. Babu Ram, Chief Engineer Drainage Mr. Anil Sood, Chief Engineer Canals Mr. Sohan Singh Grewal and Engineer-in-Chief PWSSB Mr. B.K. Garg.