Kumbh Mela: Special arrangements made for cleaning all drains in Allahabad

Special arrangements were made to expedite the process of cleaning all drains here during the two-month-long Kumbh. Under the Namami Gange project of the Centre, a host of measures for sanitation as well as checking the flow of sewer drains into the Ganga river were put in place at an expenditure of around Rs 250 crore, said officials of the National Clean Ganga Mission (NCGM).

"There are 46 big drains that flow directly in the river. Their flow has been checked and treated through bioremediation and polymer-based techniques to provide clean water for the Kumbh," said Rajat Gupta, special consultant with the NCGM. Under the project, the UP Jal Nigam hired an NGO, Geo Contractors, for treating sewer water of Arail, Salori, Mawaiya, Lote Haran and Rajapur drains of total 60.51 MLD discharge through advanced techniques.

A special technique -- geosynthetic dewatering tube -- was being used to clean water of Lote Haran drain on the Jhusi side of the Ganga river. "This is a technique deployed for the first time in the world which has proved very effective for cleaning sewer water," said Rajneesh Mehra, the director of Geo Contractors.

Three new sewage treatment plants of total capacity of 72 MLD would be coming up at Allahabad's satellite towns Jhusi, Naini and Phaphamau, Gupta said, adding that these plants would be completed by 2020. The NMCG also undertook projects for ensuring solid waste management and sanitation at the Kumbh, with construction of 27,500 toilets, 20,000 urinals and 1,60,000 dustbins.

Trash skimmer was deployed for scooping of floating waste material from the river surface. Another project for cleaning 21 ghats in the Kumbh Mela area was also underway, the officials added.

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