Ensure untreated sewage doesn’t enter water bodies, officials told

Raising serious concerns over sewerage choking in the West constituency, councillor Virat Devgan of Ward No.66 conducted a surprise inspection of the Khaparkheri Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) here on July 14, exposing the deteriorating condition of one of the city’s main sewage treatment plants.

During the inspection, Devgan claimed that he found the 95 MLD capacity plant was operating at barely 40-50 per cent of its capacity, as most of the motors were non-functional due to technical failures and lack of maintenance. He described the situation as alarming with untreated sewage from several wards flowing directly into open drains, posing a serious threat to public health and the environment.

Taking immediate action, Virat Devgan asked the plant officials to urgently restart the non-functional units and ensure that untreated sewage is stopped from entering water bodies. He warned that failure to address the crisis would lead to the collapse of the drainage system and an outbreak of water-borne diseases in the city.

Following the inspection, Devgan formally appealed to the Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner, demanding the appointment of a dedicated nodal officer to oversee the plant’s operations, with the mandatory daily monitoring and reporting.

“This is not just a sewage issue, it is a fight for public health and a clean environment. Ignoring it could severely harm the entire city. Neglect of the STP may lead to failure of the drainage system and the spread of water-borne diseases,” said councillor Virat Devgan.

Highlighting that the issue affects the entire city, he said if immediate remedial steps are not taken, he will take up the matter with the Local Bodies Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister to ensure a permanent solution.

The councillor emphasized that negligence in managing essential public utilities like sewage treatment plants will not be tolerated in future under any circumstances. He urged the civic body officials to act responsibly and prioritise the city’s sanitation infrastructure to protect public health.

Amritsar