core sector communique

National Workshop for Finalization of Manual on Sewerage & Sewage Treatment Organised

A two-day Workshop on “Finalization of Revised and Updated Manual on Sewerage and Sewage Treatment(Part-A: Engineering)”was organized by Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), Ministry of Urban Development in association with Japan Industrial Cooperation Agency (JICA) in New Delhi recently. The Manual has been prepared with the financial assistance of JICA. The JICA Study Team was approved by JICA for drafting the Manual and the Expert Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Urban Development for reviewing the same. In the inaugural session, the keynote address was delivered by Dr. Sudhir Krishna, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development. Shri J B Kshirsagar, Chief Town Planner, Town & Country Planning Organisation, addressed on City Development Plan in the context of Sewerage and Sanitation and Shri Shinya Ejima, Chief Representative, JICA India office, addressed on JICA Assistance to Water and Sanitation Sector in India. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. M. Dhinadhayalan, Deputy Adviser (PHE), CPHEEO, Ministry of Urban Development.The objective of this Workshop was to get comments and suggestions on the Manual, so as to incorporate the same before finalization. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sudhir Krishna mentioned that in order to ensure sustainable sanitation system in urban areas, system has to be not only economically viable, socially acceptable, technically and institutionally appropriate, it should also protect the environment and the natural resources. Thus, sustainability in the sanitation sector refers five inter-related dimensions; technical, financial, institutional, social and environmental. He further mentioned that a planned development of habitation needs to beurbanized. He emphasised the need for regional planning with a concept to provide urban infrastructure including total sustainable sanitation in the urban areas of the country. He further stated that this manual will provide guidelines on various latest technologies in sewerage and sewage treatment, reuse and recycling of waste water, energy recovery from sludge and preparation of city sanitation plans. It was highlighted that the Expert Committee suggested stringent guidelines for effluent standards for discharging in surface water bodies which is used for drinking water sources keeping in view the high level of contamination of surface water sources in the country and their adverse effect on human health and environment. The two-day Workshop was attended by experts from the relevant Central Ministries, Central Govt. Institutions, Expert Committee Members, External Funding Agencies,Senior Engineers of various State Governments / Departments & Urban Local Bodies and Technology Providers.