Varanasi Pollution Control:

Varanasi: In a major push to control river pollution, a 60 MLD (million litres per day) capacity Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) will be constructed in Lohata at a cost of ₹274.31 crore. The project has received approval from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the tender process has already been completed, clearing the way for construction to begin.

The upcoming STP will ensure that 13 major drains flowing into the Varuna River are tapped, preventing untreated sewage from directly entering the river. This move is expected to significantly reduce pollution levels in both the Varuna and the Ganga.

Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil conducted a site inspection at Bedauli in Lohata on Thursday. During the visit, he reviewed the technical aspects and progress of the project and emphasized that there should be no compromise in achieving the goal of making the Ganga and its tributaries clean.

The project has been approved under the Namami Gange Programme, which focuses on rejuvenating the Ganga and its tributaries while addressing the rising pollution caused by urban expansion. Officials said the Lohata STP is particularly crucial to stop untreated sewage currently flowing through the Durga drain into the Varuna.

Earlier, the Ganga Pollution Unit of the Jal Nigam conducted a survey and prepared a broader proposal worth around ₹1,780.86 crore to build four STPs in Varanasi, keeping population projections for 2037 in mind. Work is already underway on a 55 MLD plant in Bhagwanpur and a 7 MLD plant in Sujabad, while the Lohata plant has now entered a decisive phase.

The Varuna River, a key tributary of the Ganga, meets it at Adi Keshav Ghat. Officials believe that once the Lohata STP becomes operational, most sewage from the northern parts of the city will be treated before being discharged, providing long-term strength to Varanasi’s sewage management infrastructure.