Govt evolves comprehensive sewage management plan for Puducherry

Puducherry administration implements new measures to address sewage issues, including high tech equipment and comprehensive plan for better management.

The ever-growing problem of sewage collection and disposal in the town is compelling the administration to devise several new short-term and sustainable measures to deal with the challenge.

In fact, the issue of clogged sewer lines found resonance in the Puducherry Assembly on Thursday with several members demanding the government to adopt long and short term measures to address sewage problem in the town.

Independent legislator representing Muthialpet Assembly segment, J Prakash Kumar said several places in his constituency face the problem of overflowing manholes. There was no adequate equipment to desilt the sewer lines, he added. 

Making a similar complaint, Independent legislator representing Orleanpet Nehru alias Kuppusamy said the existing sewer lines in most parts of the town are worn out as they were laid 40 to 50 years ago. People are complaining about overflowing sewage in residential and commercial areas, he said.

Responding to the charges in the Assembly, Minister for Public Works K. Lakshminarayanan said the government was aware of the sewage problem faced by the residents. The government has already commenced a project to scan the sewer lines in the town using high tech equipment to identify blocks in the system, he said.

A comprehensive plan was being worked out for better sewage management in Puducherry region. The government was planning to avail ₹140 crore from Asian Development Plan to replace the old sewage carrying pipes and to provide sewer network in places not covered so far. The funds would also be utilised to repair damaged manholes, the Minister said.

The PWD has already procured six high tech sewer line cleaning machineries at a cost of ₹ 2. 5 crore. These machines will be mounted on vehicles for cleaning manholes, inspection chambers and sewer pipes. The new machines will be put to use in the next few days, the Minister said.