MLAs Seek Dedicated Channel To Flow Effluents Into River
Public representatives seek a long-term solution after Pawan Kalyan flags river contamination.
Kakinada: After the visit of Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan to Rajamahendravaram, there’s a growing clamour from people’s representatives for the laying of a dedicated channel to discharge treated industrial effluents and sewage into the river.
Pawan Kalyan had called for controlling pollution in the river and stressed the need for urgent action. There is a proposal for the setting up of more sewage treatment plants in municipalities while some such plants are already being set up.
The Godavari is hugely polluted with an intake of million litres of industrial effluents and sewage from the towns and villages along its course. The river water is not at all safe for public use.
Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Venkata Appa Rao (Nehru) urged the government to set up a dedicated channel to discharge treated sewage and industrial waste. These can be released to the agriculture fields where the crops are getting dry due to lack of water.
Channels, he said, are urgently needed for checking the pollution in the river. He noted that in the 1990’s, when the IAS officer Ranadeep Sudan was collector for the East Godavari district, he drew a plan to have a dedicated channel. This is still the best solution for checking the pollution in River Godavari, he felt.
The Anaparthi MLA Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy had raised the issue in assembly sessions and requested the government to clean the canals by segregating the Godavari waters and sewage waters so as to protect the river, the canals and public health.
Rajanagaram MLA Bathula Bala Ramakrishna said sewage treatment plants should be set up in the villages also, so as to avoid directly discharging the drainage waters into the canals, tanks or rivers. He said more ghats should be opened for pilgrims to take the holy dip during the Godavari Pushkaralu.
Senior Telugu Desam leader, former minister and Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary sought the construction of a dedicated channel to treat sewage water and discharge it into the river islands downstream of the Dowleswaram Barrage. There, he said, has been a significant improvement in addressing the pollution in Rajamahendravaram following Pawan Kalyan’s visit.
He said the pollution from the AP Paper Mill to the Rajamahendravaram Urban and Rural areas and various industrial sources has reached dangerous levels.
The MLA said, “There’s a need for a dedicated channel to discharge the treated sewage water. A plan requiring `440 crore would be prepared for this purpose. Construction of several STPs is required, which could be the only lasting solution to the pollution crisis.”
Chowdary said a task force for pollution control has been constituted. “Efforts to provide safe drinking water to the public under the Jal Jeevan Mission would be possible only if steps are taken to prevent Rajamahendravaram’s sewage from mixing with the Godavari river,” he stressed.
