The Tiruchi Corporation has cautioned private operators engaged in cleaning septic tanks against discharging the septage along rivers or open spaces in the city.
Speaking at a meeting with septic tank cleaning operators organised under the Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Project (TNUSSP) by Gramalaya and Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), here on Friday, S. Amuthavalli, Executive Engineer of the Corporation said the civic body has created facilities for discharge of the septage at near Anna Stadium, Pookollai and Vayalur Road in the city.
The septage should not be released in any other place. “There are instances when lorries are found releasing the septage along the Cauvery and Coleroon river banks. We will initiate stern action against operators involved in discharging septage at unauthorised places,”she said. She also emphasised that on no account the agencies can deploy labourers to clean septic tanks.
All lorries should have got due permission from the civic body and unauthorised lorries used to transport sullage are liable to attract a penalty of ₹5000. Lorries found indulging in such offence for the third time would be seized and auctioned.
Sanitary inspectors have been instructed to check the licences of the lorries. The operators should ensure that noxious gases were released before taking up the cleaning operation on septic tanks. All workers should wear appropriate safety gear. The workers should be covered under personal accident policies for ₹10 lakh annually.
She urged the operators to strictly adhere to the norms and those found violating the rules would face cancellation of the licences for the vehicles, she cautioned.
S. Damodaran, founder, Gramalaya, said the meet was intended to discuss the issues involved in septage management towards making the city a model one in terms of cleanliness and hygiene.
He emphasised the need for safe handling and disposal of septage.
Preliminary works have begun for setting up a faecal sludge management and treatment plant at Kasivilangi in the city, he said. The project seeks to bring about an integrated and holistic approach in managing faecal sludge. Currently about 34 per cent of the city are covered under the underground drainage network and the sewer line is to be extended to the remaining areas in a phased manner over the coming years. While the next phase of the extension is expected to be taken up next financial year with funding from the AMRUT scheme, the third phase is expected to take a few more years to reach the implementation stage.
The Faecal Sludge Management project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, would seek to cover areas that are planned to be covered under the phase III of the underground sewer system. The facility would provide an immediate and cost effective solution for the residents. The project would cover wards 40, 45, 53, 57, and 60 and the disposal will take place at treatment plant to be set up at Kasivilangi. About 10,720 households, with a population of about 53,600, would be covered under the project.
Sessions on process of faecal sludge management, prevention of manual scavenging and safety practices were held as part of the meet.
