Team Herald
PONDA: After crossing several hurdles, the sewerage network lines connecting the Kavlem-Ponda Sewage Treatment Plant faces biggest hurdle at the final stage due to the hard basalt rock formation at Dag-Ponda, which could further delay the work.
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Besides Ponda, the Curti 7.5 MLD STP work is halted due to objections from the locals. However, the pumping machinery will be set up and the Curti sewerage lines connected to Ponda and will be treated at Kapileshwarim STP. The Bandora 15 MLD plant work is also halted due to objections from the locals.
It may be recalled that work on the Kavlem-Ponda Sewage Treatment Plant and its network laying lines, estimated around Rs 535 crore, began five years ago. This includes Ponda, Curti and Bandora STPs.
But since commencement of work, it faced objections, court matters and even in political crisis.
Finally, now after crossing the race of all hurdles, the Ponda 15 MLD STP building work at Kapileshwarim is almost completed 95 per cent while its pipeline network line has completed 98 per cent of work covering a distance of 80 kms network in Ponda town and surrounding areas. The sewerage line has almost reached near the plant. After covering and laying pipeline network for distance of around 200 metres, the STP and sewerage line could be connected to make the plant operational.
However, according to the sewerage officials just at the final stage of connection of network line to the treatment plant hard basalt rock formation for distance of 200 metres below the road came in the way at Dag-Ponda making it difficult to cover the pipeline network up to treatment plant at Kapileshwarim.
The officials said “at present we are finding a solution to the problem. The available drilling machines with us are not capable to drill and so we had asked the contractor to arrange a special high capacity drilling machines from Germany and by micro-tunnelling the basalt rock, the sewerage lines will be laid for a distance of 200 metres.
“Despite the basalt rock hurdle, we are trying to complete the Ponda STP and make it operational by May 2021 which PWD Minister also declared recently,” the officials said.
However, the officials fear that the micro-tunnelling work through basalt rock may delay the work on sewerage network although it is just for 200 metres distance.
