SER starts project to make all stations environment-friendly

The South Eastern Railway has taken up a project to make all the stations under its jurisdiction environment-friendly, an official said here on Tuesday. Out of its 362 stations spread over West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, SER has started work in 21 for developing them as environment-friendly in the first phase, SER spokesperson Sanjay Ghosh said.

"Out of these 21 stations, significant progress has been achieved at Digha and Ranchi stations towards developing them as eco-smart stations fulfilling the requisite criteria," Ghosh said. To declare a station as 'eco-smart', the foremost requisition is to make arrangements for zero discharge of untreated wastewater to keep the station as well as surrounding areas clean, he said.

Ghosh said the major stations will be taken up first in the endeavor. "It has been decided to install Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) for zero discharge of untreated wastewater at all stations in a phased manner to make these stations eco-smart," he said.

He said these plants have already been commissioned at Digha station and work is nearing completion at Ranchi. "These two stations have been awarded ISO 14001:2015 certification for Environment Management System," he said.

Apart from Digha and Ranchi, the other 19 stations which are being developed as eco-smart stations are Kharagpur, Bankura, Bishnupur, Purulia, Mecheda, Santragachi, Bagnan, Panskura, Shalimar, Jhargram, Midnapur, Adra, Balasore, Hatia, Tatanagar, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Bokaro Steel City and Chakradharpur, he said. The SER spokesman said water audits by third-party certification bodies are being arranged for the conservation of water, adding that tanks will be constructed at the stations for collection of treated wastewater for reuse.

The treated water from ETP and STP will be collected in the collection tank and will be used for gardening, afforestation, and coach washing purpose, Ghosh said. It has also been decided to convert all conventional toilets to eco-friendly or green toilets at the eco-smart stations, he said.

Measures are being taken to prevent open defecation near railway tracks and surrounding areas, Ghosh said, adding that environment polluters are being identified and fine has been imposed at several stations in this regard.

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