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In a major leap toward river conservation, the spiritual town of Rishikesh and the adjoining Muni Ki Reti area are witnessing transformative environmental progress under the Namami Gange Mission, with modern Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) playing a pivotal role in reducing pollution in the sacred River Ganga.
As part of the mission's effort to rejuvenate the river, two major STPs in Rishikesh, with capacities of 26 MLD at Lakkadghat and 7.5 MLD at Chandrabhaga, have been built to manage the city's average 20 MLD sewage load effectively. Notably, the 26 MLD Lakkadghat STP, completed in 2020, treats wastewater from six major drains, ensuring cleaner discharge into the river using Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology, an advanced, phased treatment system capable of adapting to variable loads without compromising water quality. "This plant has been under continuous operation since 2020, and the SBR technology allows us to build as many treatment tanks as needed. Here, we have four," said Vineet Beniwal, Plant In-Charge of the Lakkadghat STP. Meanwhile, in Muni Ki Reti, the 5 MLD STP at Chorpani, equipped with Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technology, has become a critical facility for managing local wastewater, ensuring compliance with NGT and CPCB standards before discharge into the Chandrabhaga River, a tributary of the Ganga. "We have a fully functional lab and sensor-based monitoring system that lets us verify the quality of the treated water in real time," said Varun Kumar, in charge of the Chorpani plant. What makes these STPs unique is their automated real-time monitoring, with water quality data being uploaded to centralised government dashboards and reviewed by both central and state agencies. Experts and authorities believe these developments signal a major shift in India's approach to river conservation, especially in key pilgrimage and tourism hotspots like Rishikesh. With over 25 MLD of sewage being treated daily, and more capacity than needed already in place, officials say Rishikesh is on track to become a model city in Ganga rejuvenation efforts. As the Namami Gange Mission gains momentum, the vision of a clean, uninterrupted, and sacred Ganga is slowly becoming a reality, offering hope that future generations will inherit a river that reflects both spiritual purity and scientific progress. (ANI)
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