Taking a determined step towards eradication of manual scavenging, which is the scourge of urban societies, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has decided to nudge its consumers towards construction of silt chambers on their respective premises.
To begin with, the silt chambers would be made mandatory for commercial establishments and multi-storeyed buildings, and also new constructions.
Notices have already been served to about 4,000 commercial establishments — mainly hotels — and multi-storeyed blocks (apartment complexes) for construction of the chambers, meant to separate solid waste thrown in the sewer lines from water.
Of those who received notices, only 200 have complied so far, informed sources from the board.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the same, Managing Director of HMWSSB, M. Dana Kishore on Friday instructed the managers of various divisions to devise strategies to make others fall in line too.
Penal measures in case of non-compliance after repeated reminders would include disconnection of sewerage connection, he said.
“Abuse of sewers by consumers prompted this decision. Many commercial establishments, especially hotels, throw garbage into the sewers instead of disposing it through the GHMC garbage trucks. When the sewer lines get clogged, men have to get into manholes, and remove the waste with their hands,” Mr. Kishore said.
Apart from food waste, the common things extricated from sewer lines include plastic covers, sanitary napkins, and some times even pillow covers!
There have been many instances in the past when workers who ventured into manholes died after inhaling poisonous gases. Besides the risk, there was also the element of casteism associated with manual scavenging. To eradicate this, the board has recently tied up with Safai Karmachari Andolan.
“Ninety-three per cent of the city’s sewage goes directly into the Musi river, hence the lines are built with a gradient to facilitate easy flow without any pumping. The pipes are designed for the sewage water to flow with self-generated velocity. Due to all the garbage thrown in, the pipelines often get choked, some times at deeper, inaccessible locations,” Mr. Kishore explained.
Silt chambers constructed within the consumers’ premises would trap the solid waste, and allow free flow of water through the sewer lines, making it the consumer’s responsibility to clear the silt and dispose it off with the wet garbage.
The city has 38,000 commercial establishments and 19,000 multi-storeyed blocks, including government buildings. Phase-wise, all of them would be issued notices for construction of silt chambers.
“We are also mulling over engaging the services of a third party agency to educate people about this,” Mr. Kishore said.
