Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has taken a citizen-centric approach for getting the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) water plus certification in the present year. Herein, the civic body has welcomed objections and comments from the citizens of the Union Territory (UT) on the city’s sewage treatment and wastewater management.
As reported by a national daily, a civic body official said, “Chandigarh is treating all the waste, the sewage water generated from residential, commercial and industrial areas at different treatment plants. No untreated water is flowing into the water bodies. Over 25 per cent of the treated wastewater is being used in green areas, parks and lawns for their maintenance and development.”
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A city or a ward can only be declared as water plus when all wastewater released from households, commercial establishments’ drains, nullahs is treated to a satisfactory level (as defined by CPCB) before it is released in the environment. Moreover, the treatment of sewage and wastewater in an adequate capacity should be ensured. The treatment and processing infrastructure should be kept updated and maintained aptly. Also, reuse and recycling of treated wastewater should be used for cost recovery which in turn ensures sustainability.
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SBM Water Plus is the next level of certification after open defecation free++ (ODF++). The water plus certification allows a city to compete for seven-star garbage-free city rating so as to enter the league of top cleanest cities in the upcoming Swachh Survekshan 2021. The UT Chandigarh was accorded the ODF status first on September 27, 2016, and the city was certified ODF++ on September 19, 2019.
