Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Pahalgam, Dec 23: Inaugurated just six month ago by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the 2MLD Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) constructed by UEED at a whopping cost of Rs 10.58 cr at Pahalgam allegedly continues to remain dysfunctional due to a technical snag.
A spot visit shows the sewerage flowing directly into Lidder river without any treatment which is a blatant violation of National Green Tribunal norms.
After the details were shared with divisional commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, Anantnag DC, Dr Syed Aabid Rashid Shah, PDA CEO Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani and other concerned officials, four UEED officials were placed under suspension.
The DC informed that four UEED officials had been placed under suspension by the divisional commissioner. He identified the suspended officials as AEE Altaf Ahmad, AEE Fida Hussain, JE Zahid Ahmad and JE Junaid Hussain.
On 4th of this month 'Early Times' had published an exclusive report titled '10.58Cr worth Sewerage Treatment Plant goes dysfunctional at Pahalgam'. The authorities had assured to fix the technical snag in STP and even the divisional commissioner had summoned UEED officials and contractor. The engineers had assured the divisional commissioner that STP would be made functional within a week. It, however, continues to remain dysfunctional even after the passage of 18 days.
"It has a technical fault because of which we have to drain out the sewage without any treatment of one compartment," an employee of the firm told Early Times.
Interestingly, the firm has also not initiated any process for establishing a lab which is required for every STP according to NGT norms.
Pertinent to mention here that 2MLD STP was inaugurated by the chief minister in May this year. With the capacity to drain out two million liters of sewerage per day, the STP has been constructed by UEED at a cost of Rs 10.58 cr which has been fully funded by Pahalgam Development Authority out of its own resources. She was informed that after the commissioning of fully-automatic STP, it would benefit 170 hotels, 650 residential houses and 310 huts, thus paving the way for operationalisation of biological disposal of sewerage at the picturesque resort.
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