District Magistrate Savin Bansal conducted an on-site inspection of Chandreshwar Nala in Rishikesh to prevent untreated sewage from entering the Ganga. Strict action taken, 25 house pipelines sealed, and a comprehensive action plan underway under CM’s directions.
Dehradun/Rishikesh:
Taking serious cognizance of complaints regarding the discharge of untreated sewage and solid waste from Chandreshwar Nala into the river Ganga, District Magistrate Savin Bansal conducted a detailed on-site inspection of the Chandreshwar Nala area in Rishikesh on Wednesday. During the inspection, he directed the concerned departments to submit a detailed report and a concrete action plan at the earliest for proper treatment, cleaning, and prevention of pollution in the nala.
During the inspection, the Superintending Engineer of the Irrigation Department and the General Manager, Construction Circle (Ganga), Uttarakhand Jal Nigam, apprised the District Magistrate of the entire drainage map, existing status, and the proposed action plan.
The District Magistrate categorically stated that, in compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, the district administration will ensure that no untreated wastewater is discharged into the river Ganga under any circumstances. He emphasized that all drains merging into the Ganga must carry only treated and clean water.
Issuing a stern warning, he said that whether it is a senior-level government establishment or a residential building, no violator will be spared if dirty water is found flowing into the Ganga.
During the inspection, 25 houses found discharging wastewater directly into the nala had their pipe-drains sealed immediately, on the instructions of the District Magistrate. Additionally, while inspecting the lanes of Ward No. 3 on foot, he directed that all local drains be connected to the sewerage network within three days.
Considering the seriousness of the issue, the District Magistrate instructed officials to prepare a proposal for enhancement of the capacity of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at the earliest and to give top priority to preventing the discharge of untreated wastewater. He stated that a comprehensive action plan will be prepared and submitted to the State Government to ensure a permanent solution to pollution and to preserve the Ganga for future generations.
He further noted that while most urban areas are covered under the sewerage network, locations where sewerage work is still underway or where connections are yet to be provided will be addressed on a priority basis. He clarified that under the Interception and Diversion (I&D) Plan, expansion of STP capacity is being planned, and strict enforcement action will be taken against establishments or households discharging untreated wastewater directly.
The District Magistrate instructed the Municipal Corporation, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sewerage Maintenance Unit, Uttarakhand Jal Nigam, Jal Sansthan, and Pollution Control Board to prepare a joint and detailed report through mutual coordination. He added that the report will be made public to ensure transparency and public awareness.
Officials from the Sewerage Maintenance Unit informed that a 7.50 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant has been constructed in Rishikesh under the Namami Gange Programme, as part of the I&D and STP Dhalwala–Muni Ki Reti project. Due to limited land availability, the plant has been constructed in a multi-storey format and is the first of its kind in the country. The STP has been operational under maintenance since October 2020.
The STP is designed to treat wastewater from three major drains—Shamshan Ghat Nala, Chandreshwar Nagar Nala, and Dhalwala Nala. During the monsoon season, the flow in Dhalwala Nala exceeds the plant’s capacity; however, the entire sewage from Shamshan Ghat and Chandreshwar Nagar Nalas is fully treated at the STP.
During the monsoon and the subsequent four months, the presence of higher groundwater flow in Dhalwala Nala results in very low pollution levels in water quality tests. Drone surveys and household surveys are being conducted on both sides of the nala. In the initial survey, 502 families have been identified, of which 38 households discharge sewage directly into the nala, while 84 households discharge grey water. The survey process is ongoing, and all data is being verified. Water samples from direct discharge points are being tested at NABL-accredited laboratories.
On this occasion, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rishikesh Yogesh Mehra, Municipal Commissioner Ram Kumar Binwal, CO Police Purnima Garg, along with senior officials from the Sewerage Maintenance Unit, Jal Nigam, Jal Sansthan, Irrigation Department, and other concerned departments were present.
