Union govt to finance sewerage treatment plants for Punjab

Chandigarh, July 27 (UNI) With the concerted efforts of the Punjab Government, the Union Government has agreed to include the project for setting up of sewerage treatment plants at Ludhiana and Jalandhar under the Satluj Action Plan.

Similarly Patiala, Zirakpur, Dera Bassi and Rajpura towns would be included in the Ghaggar Action Plan, under 11th Five Year Plan.

Referring to his meeting with Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Namo Narain Meena at New-Delhi on Wednesday, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said here today that the total cost of this project was Rs 550 crore. The financing pattern would be 70:30 ratio between the Centre and state respectively.

Mr Badal informed that the state government was also impressing upon the Centre to include at-least five more towns- Sunam, Sangrur, Barnala, Sirhind and Kharar in the 11th Five Year Plan.

He reiterated that the state government had planned to set up sewerage treatment plants in various towns to improve the environment of the state. Six plants capable of treating 440 million liters per day waste water were already being set up at Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Phillaur under National River Conservation Plan with central financial assistance.

On similar lines, state government had submitted a project for augmentation of treatment capacity by 236 million liters per day at Ludhiana. Also, a project for setting up of sewerage treatment plants in 33 towns for pollution control of river Ghaggar was also submitted to the Centre.

UNI