New Delhi : Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement with the President of India on 27th February’15 to provide 15,620 million Yen (approx Rs 830 crore) Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan for construction of an integrated sewerage system, including pumping stations and sewage treatment plant, in Guwahati. The agreement was signed by Shinya Ejima, Chief Representative, JICA India Office with Tarun Bajaj, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India . The assistance will considerably improve sanitation and living conditions and also mitigate river contamination.
Guwahati is the gateway to the North East and a hub of trade and commerce. The population of Guwahati has been rapidly increasing, from 891,000 in 2001 to 1,176,000 in 2011 and is estimated to reach 2,112,000 in 2035. The requirement for water supply and associated sewerage services has been also increased proportionately.
Guwahati city currently relies extensively on septic tanks, for want of a public integrated sewerage system including treatment plants. The untreated or semi-treated sewage is generally being disposed into neighbouring drains or low lying areas, and the discharged effluent water flows into the river which passes through the city, resulting in unhygienic conditions in the surrounding areas and risk of pollution of ground and surface water sources.
In 2009, JICA has also extended ODA loan assistance for enhancement of water supply in Guwahati, which aims at providing reliable and safe water supply to Guwahati city. With enhanced water availability, the volume of effluent generated in the city will considerably increase. Hence, development of an integrated scientific sewerage system, including pumping stations and sewage treatment plants, is imperative to improving living environment of the inhabitants and mitigating pollution of sources of water.
The project for development of sewerage system in Guwahati will entail construction of a sewer network of over 500km, and sewage treatment plants with SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) system which enables remote control and monitoring . JICA will also assist with services related to designing of the sewerage network, construction management and capacity building of the Guwahati Jal Board for subsequent operation and maintenance. The project will be implemented by Guwahati Jal Board, and is scheduled to be completed and commissioned by 2022.
“Increasing urbanization is both a challenge and an opportunity to manage water availability and treatment to advance public health, going by Japan’s experience in the 1960’s. Advancements in technology and designs, that can be adapted for specific conditions, lead us to efficient management of water which can also contribute inextricably to economic development,” said Ejima, Chief Representative of JICA India Office.
The loan for this project is one of the first outcomes of the announcement to realize 3.5 trillion Yen of public and private investment and financing from Japan, including ODA, to India in five years, by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Summit Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Japan on Sept 1, 2014.
source : Lokesh Shastri