PONDA: Six years after the residents of Curti had agitated against a proposed 8 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in the village and forced the government to halt work, the same project has returned to haunt them as the Sewerage Department informed Curti Khandepar Panchayat just a few days back that it has issued work order for the construction of this STP.
As the news spread, the panic-striken locals met the Sarpanch and informed that they strongly opposed the plant, claiming it to be health hazard and demanded its shifting from their locality.
Prakash Sawant, a local resident, recalled that in 2016 when Housing Board Colony and surrounding locals had agitated against the proposed STP at that time since it was to come up in a densely populated area.
Following this, Panchayat had issued stop work order in 2018 and the government had informed the Curti Khandepar Panchayat that it is just setting up a pumping station in area and not a STP. But now once again it has returned to haunt the locals.
The Sewerage Department in its letter to Curti Khandepar Panchayat informed that the aforesaid STP will cater to 28.7 km distance, connected with 776 manholes.
“We met the Sarpanch Naved Tahsildar today and discussed the issue with him. We told him that locals are opposed to this project. The Sarpanch assured that he will write to the authorities informing about the strong opposition to this project by locals,” Sawant said.
Former Curti Khandepar Sarpanch, Shailesh Shet said, “Around 3000 people reside in this area. The STP site selected is in the middle of a residential area, having Hedgewar School with around 600 students, besides residential apartments and bungalows. If the STP comes up here, the entire area would be filled with stench. Such projects are hazardous to health. Hence the government should shift the project elsewhere.”
