Delhi LG lauds Centre's sewage treatment project

New Delhi, Nov 11 :   Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Saturday appreciated the central government's ongoing sewage treatment project at Sarai Kale Khan, aimed at cleaning the drain responsible for about 30 per cent of pollution in the Yamuna river, an official said.

The project LOTUSHR (Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse) is a joint venture by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of the Science and Technology Ministry and a research organisation from Netherlands. It started in May this year.

Baijal visited the site and congratulated the DBT for this initiative aimed at cleaning and beautification of the Sarai Kale Khan's 12.5 km long Barapullah Drain, collecting mainly domestic sewage and waste from small industry, a statement said.

"The project aims to demonstrate a novel holistic waste-water management approach, that will produce clean water which can be reused for various proposes while simultaneously recovering nutrients and energy from the urban waste water, thus converting drain into profitable mines," said Baijal.

The DBT, in consultation with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), has identified the drain as a demonstration site for the proposed interdisciplinary technological solutions, the statement said.

The statement, issued by the LG's office, said that the benefits emerging from the project "have far reaching effects -- cleanliness, clean water for industrial, agricultural and community use and recycling and reuse of the waste water for both recovery of waste and generation of gas or power that would benefit all sectors".