Chandigarh, Oct 16 (IANS) Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on Thursday emphasised inter-departmental efforts with a focus on stringent pollution control and a sustained drive for ecological balance of the Yamuna river ahead of the Chhath Puja festival.

Chairing a review with an aim for proactive measures for the thousands of devotees who will perform rituals along the river and its tributaries, he emphasised the importance of round-the-clock monitoring of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) across the river catchment.

He directed all Executive Engineers to personally oversee the functioning of these plants up to October 28, ensuring that no breakdown occurs and that all systems operate within prescribed environmental standards.

Junior Engineers and Sub-Divisional Engineers have been deputed for continuous supervision, while the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been instructed to form special flying squads to conduct surprise inspections during odd hours.

He directed officials to finalise the complete list of STPs and CETPs, including those under construction, and to prepare a future action plan while ensuring strict adherence to project completion timelines.

Chief Secretary Rastogi instructed departments concerned to identify industries with the potential to discharge pollutants into the river or its drains.

He directed that any manipulation of operational or monitoring data must be addressed immediately and firmly.

The Chief Secretary instructed the Urban Local Bodies Department and the Irrigation Department to undertake the immediate removal of solid waste from drains and riverbanks.

Municipal Corporations have been directed to deploy sufficient manpower and machinery to keep ghats and river stretches clean and accessible throughout the festive period.

For the next 15 days, a coordinated enforcement drive will be carried out by the police, Municipal Corporations, Public Health Engineering Department, and Development and Panchayats wings to prevent the illegal disposal of sewage or tanker waste into the river.

Rastogi also reviewed the progress of STP projects under implementation in the catchment. He noted that projects with a total capacity of 107 million litres per day (MLD) are expected to be completed by March 2027.

It was informed during the meeting that six irrigation projects utilising treated wastewater are in progress at Behrampur, Kanheli, Karnal, Haikat Nagar, Shiv Colony, and Jattal Road in Panipat, collectively covering a treatment capacity of 158 MLD. These projects, costing approximately Rs 253 crore, are advancing steadily, with progress ranging from 35 to 90 per cent across different locations.

–IANS

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