SRINAGAR: The refurbishment of Sewage Treatment Plants of Laam, Habak and Hazratbal is going on in full swing with 85 percent of the work completed so far, while rest of the work is expected to be completed by the last week of October 2020.
These STPs are undergoing refurbishment after a number of Electromechanical Equipments installed within STPs of Laam (4.5 MLD), Habak (3.2 MLD) and Hazratbal (7.5 MLD) had got damaged over the years, thereby affecting the treatment process of Sewage in these STPs.
Consequently, the Committee of Experts constituted by Hon’ble High Court of J&K directed Lakes and Waterway Development Department (LAWDA) to get the technical audit of the STPs done through M/S Thermax India Ltd. who had constructed these STPs in the year 2005-2006. Accordingly M/S Thermax India Ltd. recommended Refurbishment of STPs by way of replacement of damaged equipment.
The Job of Refurbishment of STPs was assigned to the Urban Environmental and Engineering Department (UEED) by the Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department. The work was put to e-Tenders and subsequently assigned to M/S G.N. Magray J.V M/S LNA Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd. Vide. Chief Engineer J&K UEEDs allotment order No. CE/UEED/CJ/TS/1748-53 dated 04 January 2020 for an amount of Rs.8.68 Crores.
Of these Rs.8.68 Crores, Rs.4.605 Crores were allotted for refurbishment of three STPs and Rs.4.07 Crores for Operation and Maintenance of STPs for two years after Refurbishment.
The STPs were taken over by UEED for refurbishment on 1st February 2020 and the work was to be completed within 6 months from the date of taking-over of the STPs from LAWDA. In view of Lockdown due to COVID-19 Pandemic the work remained suspended for at least two and a half months and the completion period for refurbishment got extended to last week of October 2020.
To check the Physical Progress of the Refurbishment of STPs the Vice Chairman J & K Lakes and Waterway Development Department (LAWDA) along with Superintending Engineer Circle –II J & K UEED and other Engineers of UEED visited all the three STPs on 08 October 2020.
The Vice Chairman directed the Engineers of UEED to ensure completion of work by last week of October 2020 as the Committee of Experts constituted by High Court of J&K is monitoring the refurbishment of STPs constantly.
