Process Used In 'Namami Gange' Project To Treat Sewage Before Dumping Has Been Employed To Clean Sabarmati River: AMC Tells Gujarat HC

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) informed the Gujarat High Court on Friday (February 7) that it is using the process of bio-remediation–which employs microbial/bacterial consortia to treat raw sewage and partially treat the water before it is released into the Sabarmati river. 

The corporation informed that this method has also been used to treat river Ganga under the 'Namami Gange Programme', which has given results. After hearing the submissions of the counsel with respect to the steps undertaken, the court said that it seemed that substantial progress had been made with respect to the court's directions.

The submission was made before a division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Vaibhavi D. Nanavati which was hearing a 2021 suo-motu plea concerning pollution of the Sabarmati river. 

The court, in its December 6, 2024 order, had asked the counsel for AMC to bring the progress made in establishment of new Sewage Treatment Plants and refurbishment/renovation of the exiting old STPs. The court had also called for the progress of bioremediation work to treat the excess discharge sewerage water. 

During the hearing on Friday, AMC's counsel pointed to the latest affidavit filed in compliance of the court's three directions mentioned in its December order. 

With respect to bio remediation process and its progress the counsel said, "The approval for standing committee for empanelment of five agencies was received on 31-12-2024. Work order was immediately issued to five agencies on that very day. We have produced progress report. We have made some progress in 2 months...This work is ongoing"

At this stage the court orally asked, "What is this bio remediation?"

The counsel explained that as an immediate solution for the issue of bypass so as to offer treatment to sewage undergoing bypass, AMC has decided to cary out bio remediation of sewage by employing microbial consortia which has "revealed results in cleaning the river Ganga under the Namami Gange Program". 

He said, "Basically open to air tanks are constructed to which sewage would flow through. In these tanks bacterial consortia would break down harmful element of raw sewage so as to partially treat it. Then it is released to the river. So atleast partial treatment. Otherwise earlier untreated sewage was going". 

"Year on year over the past two years although a lot of work is yet to be done...we commissioned work of an independent agency...in comparison to position two years ago, the discharge of untreated waste water has been reduced," he said. 

With respect to the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), the counsel said that for each of the outfalls that flow into the river and for each of the STP a detailed technical report has been provided by independent agency which has been contracted. For each STP for each outfall the technical analysis is done, he added.

"What is reported is that the average daily discharge in Million Litres/Day of untreated waste water is brought down by 112.84 MLD," he added. 

Status of new sewage treatment plants , each of the new STPs have now a stand alone testing lab on site so that construction is as per NGT norms. 

After hearing the counsel's submissions the high court in its order dictated, "As per the description given it seems that substantial progress has been made in all three directions". 

Meanwhile the amicus curiae appointed in the matter provided a copy of 12th report of Joint Task Force (JTF) which has inspected seven Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) set up by the industries.

"A concern has been raised with regard to increase level of TDS (chloride, sulphate and FDAs) and the colour in the treated water being discharged from CETPs to MEGA pipeline," the court noted. It thereafter said that a copy of the report be given to the counsel for Ahmedabad Mega Clean Association (AMCA) who shall file its response.

The court further asked the Gujarat Pollution Control Board to file the report of the monthly inspections being made by it. With respect to inspections by JTF the court said that it would be carried out on quarterly basis and the report will be submitted to this court.

The matter is now listed on March 7. 

Case title: Suo Motu v/s Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation through its Municipal Commissioner and Others