Haryana plans to install activated carbon odour-control systems at 24 sewage treatment plants across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 38.6 crore, after residents and farmers reported foul smells and concerns about the quality of treated wastewater.
Public health engineering minister Ranbir Gangwa directed officials to expedite the proposed installations during a review meeting at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. He also instructed officials to inspect the identified sites and ensure time-bound redressal of complaints, according to a report by Times of India – Chandigarh.
The proposed systems are intended to reduce odour around the sewage treatment plants and improve the quality of treated wastewater for reuse, particularly in irrigation. The department has linked the programme to complaints from farmers and residents living near the plants.
The department has identified 25 sewage treatment plants with a combined treatment capacity of 230.5 million litres per day. These plants are currently treating 171.13 million litres of sewage daily. Activated carbon systems have been proposed at 24 of the identified plants, with the estimated cost covering the planned odour-control installations.
The plants included in the proposal are located in Ambala, Hisar, Hansi, Narnaund, Jind, Julana, Safidon, Fatehabad, Bhuna, Bhiwani, Siwani and Loharu, among other locations. The report did not specify the individual cost, installation schedule or technology specifications for each site.
Activated carbon is used in treatment systems to capture odour-causing compounds. In Haryana’s proposed programme, the systems are being considered not only as a response to complaints about foul smell but also as part of efforts to make treated wastewater more suitable for reuse. The department has not announced plant-wise performance targets or a deadline for completing the installations.
The figures reviewed at the meeting show that the 25 identified plants are treating about 171.13 MLD against their combined capacity of 230.5 MLD. The proposal therefore covers a network that is operating below its stated aggregate capacity, although the supplied report does not provide plant-wise utilisation figures or explain the reasons for the difference.
The minister also reviewed major Public Health Engineering Department projects costing Rs 25 crore and above on a circle-wise basis. The review included directions to officials to accelerate the proposed odour-control work and address complaints linked to sewage treatment facilities.
The next steps are site inspections, preparation or advancement of the proposed installations and time-bound action by departmental officials. The department has not yet disclosed a procurement timeline, construction deadline or date by which all 24 activated carbon systems are expected to become operational.
