Welcome Home What has to be done to ensure that municipal authorities have not made any significant mistakes relating to sewerage?

Thinking about the essence of life should include living abundantly, realizing our full potential, and strictly following the laws. Our goal should be to live life to the fullest, making deliberate use of all of our resources.

Then and only then can our society be livable and our surroundings safe. But contrary to what is expected of individuals with common sense, people often build roads without a NOC in order to link domestic waste outputs to the main sewage system. It is disheartening to see that an NGT study claims the Giaspura Gas catastrophe that happened in April 2023 was mostly caused by the MC’s neglect to inspect unapproved connections and desilt municipal sewage systems. Using high-pressure jetting equipment, loose and hardened silt is removed from sewage pipes during the desilting process.

This keeps obstructions and spills at bay while assisting in restoring the flow capacity. Sewage buildup is a widespread issue that has persisted for decades in many areas of the city without any attention. The fact that sewage and wastewater contain potentially fatal bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses must be acknowledged by the government. The MC should install a watchdog system, also known as a PMS system (Planned Maintenance Schedule), to remind personnel about planned maintenance operations. Negligent employees should be penalized. Negligence or delays in the completion of health-related duties are unacceptable.

Sops need to specify duties.

Several actions may be implemented to solve Ludhiana’s lack of SOPs and rules for NOC issuing and sewage line maintenance, including:

The municipal authorities should work with pertinent parties, such as environmental engineers, urban planners, and local communities, to create thorough SOPs for approving sewage line connections and issuing NOCs. These SOPs should outline clear procedures, standards, and responsibilities; the MC should conduct public awareness campaigns to educate residents and businesses about the importance of adhering to sewer line regulations — this will foster a sense of civic responsibility and encourage compliance; the authorities should seek guidance from wastewater management experts to ensure that the established SOPs align with industry best practices and environmental standards — their expertise can contribute to creating effective and sustainable guidelines; the MC must implement a system of regular audits and inspections to monitor compliance with sewer line regulations, for this proactive approach will help in early identification and correction of problems; the MC should invest in training programmes for municipal staff involved in managing sewer lines, for building their capacity in terms of technical know-how and regulatory enforcement will enhance the effectiveness of implementing and maintaining the guidelines; the authorities must involve the local community in decision-making processes related to sewer line management, as this approach can lead to more effective solutions and ensure that the guidelines reflect the needs and concerns of the residents.

The local authorities of Ludhiana may solve the shortcomings, provide a strong framework for maintaining sewage systems, and encourage a sustainable and healthy urban environment by implementing these actions.

Put the corporate governance model into practice.

There are serious problems about accountability and efficiency within the municipal infrastructure in Ludhiana over the lack of SOPs or procedures for giving NOCs, approving connections to sewage lines, and maintaining or desilting sewer lines. Nonetheless, putting in place a corporate governance model offers a viable way to deal with these issues and guarantee efficient sewage line management. Principles of corporate governance place a strong focus on responsibility, accountability, and openness in the decision-making process.

The local authorities may create distinct lines of authority and assign responsibility for SOP formulation, implementation, and compliance by using this architecture to control sewage lines. Making SOPs will be a required Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for municipal authorities and other sewage line management stakeholders under the corporate governance model. By doing this, it would be ensured that SOPs are methodically created, examined, and updated to take into account changing requirements and legal requirements.

The culture of risk management and continual improvement is promoted by the corporate governance structure. Civic authorities may improve the resilience and efficiency of sewage line infrastructure by proactively identifying and mitigating operational risks via the prioritization of SOP creation and compliance as essential KPIs.

MC and PWSSB ought to collaborate.

The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) and the Municipal Corporation (MC) must work closely together to rectify the existing absence of defined processes. The process of issuing NOCs, approving sewage connections, and guaranteeing safety requirements should be governed by explicit SOPs.

Aspects like application submission, verification procedures, fees, and document requirements must be covered by these SOPs. To maintain the relevance and efficacy of these processes, periodic evaluations and changes are required. Regular maintenance and desilting are essential to proper sewage management.

Routine sewage line cleaning should be planned ahead of time by the MC, with specific care paid to important regions that are prone to clog. Debris, silt, and possible obstacles must be removed. The lifespan and effectiveness of our sewage system will be increased by preventive measures including regular inspections, prompt repairs, and quick action in the case of a reported problem. Campaigns for public awareness may help educate locals on the value of maintaining sewers and promote prompt reporting of issues.

Counselors need to be held accountable.

It is regrettable that a number of civic concerns have not been adequately addressed in our digital age. Sewerage is the largest challenge among all municipal utilities. Residents in Ludhiana and the surrounding areas are able to connect to the sewage system without the municipal government’s approval.

We have to put an end to this practice. Additionally, people are disposing of trash in the sewers, which increases the risk of clogging the pipes. The issue of persons obtaining free connections or connections without NOCs might be resolved by establishing specialized inspection teams in various wards. It is the responsibility of each counselor to ensure that individuals are not using more sewer connections than allowed.

Heavy penalties must be applied to defaulters and illicit links must be terminated. To ascertain the number of connections made with and without authorization, data must be gathered from many wards. It has to be added up annually, ward-by-ward, to the sewerage use rates. In addition to collaborating with the local government, residents who use unauthorized connections need to get authorization.

Analyze unauthorized connections

The provision of connections to the sewage lines and their upkeep need a uniform operating system. Either a nodal agency must be established, or a private agency must be awarded the contract. It is necessary to do en masse checking in several colonies. Some locals are connecting their sewage pipes to the Buddha Nullah, which might make the city’s pollution situation worse. It is required of officials from various corporate zones to plan field trips and look into illicit ties. Appropriate surveys at the home level in each ward are needed to verify illicit links. Those who default must pay a hefty price as punishment.

Defaulters need to face consequences

In Ludhiana, there are no standard operating procedures (SOPs) or standards for issuing NOCs, authorizing connections to sewage systems, maintaining sewer lines, or desilting them. The layout of Ludhiana is very complex because of the government’s careless and apathetic attitude, especially at the municipal level. The PPCB’s report on the 11 fatalities that happened on April 30 of last year as a result of a rapid leak of hydrogen sulphide gas from a roadside manhole in Giaspura was recently rejected by the National Green Tribunal.

“We are of the opinion that a fresh report by an independent committee is required to be obtained as the issue is serious wherein an incident of gas leak has caused the death of eleven persons,” the NGT had said when it ordered a new investigation. It is crucial to identify the true reason of the gas leak and assign blame because it is unlikely that such an occurrence would never happen again. The government should implement a multifaceted plan to prevent such accidents from happening in the future.

As part of this plan, the municipal authorities should thoroughly inspect all of the town’s sewage lines for connections and manhole locations. SOPs and rules for home, business, and industrial connections for sewage treatment and drainage should be established. Offenders should face harsh fines, and effluent treatment facilities should be forced to maintain logbooks and adhere to regulations regulating the entry and outflow of treated wastewater. These steps are necessary since they may reduce the likelihood of disasters.

Plans that are approved must address sanitation.

Since the majority of Ludhiana’s sewage lines are older and have brick walls, there is a greater risk of a road cave-in, particularly while subterranean cables are being installed. Every rainy season, sewage overflows into the streets, leaving the population to deal with scenarios akin to flooding.

If precautions are followed and the connection is approved or regularized, this may be prevented. Only until a technical officer or an authorized plumber is satisfied with the pipes’ quality, the size of the connection, and the alignment of the water supply line can the connection be approved or regularized.

The interior fitting of the building’s sanitary and water supply systems shall be certified by the technical officer or the authorized plumber as having been completed in accordance with the approved design and GLADA or MC bylaws. It is imperative that households refrain from pouring oil or disposing of fats and grease down the drain since this may block sewage systems and cause overflow.

A statutory entity established by the state for the purpose of developing, regulating, and overseeing the drinking water and sewerage sectors in Punjab’s metropolitan regions is the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board. The board members must take the initiative to see that the many initiatives started in the district’s municipalities are carried out and completed.

Timely replace outdated operational lines

Significant sewage line failures have been occurring in Ludhiana lately, which has provided us with a wealth of information regarding living in dangerous situations. By carrying out appropriate study, the situation can be improved, and its analysis would provide us a framework to enhance the existing circumstances. Analysts and ground-level employees need to collaborate. Public release of the revised standards and recommendations is required.

The existing working lines should eventually be replaced with a tenure system. Grading of working lines is necessary. This classification will guarantee timely and quick modifications. Cleaning drives have to be carried out on schedule. Resources should be allocated to an engineering and environmentalist staff. They may assist in making environmentally beneficial use of technology. Authorities and citizens should collaborate closely; the former may provide resources, while the latter can offer suggestions.

INQUIRY

In an unprecedented move, the state’s government schools serving children with special needs (CWSN), particularly those with locomotor impairments, are receiving assistance from the Punjab School Education Department. What more can be done to support and assist the CWSN in their daily lives and academic pursuits?

We’ll examine and make changes.

We will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the whole matter and implement the required system modifications to prevent such occurrences in the future, all while guaranteeing public safety and security. — Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, deputy