Telangana gets first eco-friendly sewage treatment plant(STP)

Hyderabad: The first Phytorid- Scientific Wetland with Active Biodegradation (SWAB) based sewage treatment plant (STP) in Telangana was formally inaugurated on Tuesday by Dr G Padmanabham, Director, International Advanced Research Centre (ARCI) for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials, Hyderabad, and Dr Rakesh Kumar, Director, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur.

The sewage contains organic wastes, suspended solids and pathogenic micro-organisms as the primary source of water pollution. In order to treat the sewage before it is discharged to the environment, and to use the water efficiently CSIR-NEERI developed a patented Phytorid technology based on the concept of engineered constructed wetland.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr G Padmanabham emphasised the importance of scientific communities to evolve strategies to develop environment-friendly technologies as well as to develop realistic and innovative systems for sustainable implementation. Dr Padmanabham also expressed keen interest in collaborating with CSIR-NEERI in areas of development of materials for environmental technologies.

Dr Rakesh Kumar said that Phytorid was a well proven technology for Indian conditions and was flexible in design according to user requirements. NEERI have already commissioned several Phytorid based STPs across the country. The technology was approved by Swachh Bharat Mission, Government of India, Government of Maharashtra, and Government of Madhya Pradesh. He also appreciated ARCI for establishing the first Phytorid based STP in Telangana.

Dr Roy Johnson, Associate Director, ARCI, Hyderabad, highlighted the functioning of Phytorid STP and he told that the treated water was currently used for gardening and greenery development in the campus. Dr Ritesh Vijay, Scientist & Head, CSIR-NEERI Mumbai Zonal Centre told that Phytorid technologies currently gaining prominence due to its inherent advantages such as mimicking the natural wetland ecosystem, low cost, low energy consumption and reuse of water for floriculture, washing roads, flushing in addition to gardening etc. Dr Tata Narasinga Rao, Associate Director, ARCI, Hyderabad, Dr Shaikh Basha, Scientist & Head, Hyderabad Zonal Laboratory, M Venkanna, Regional Officer, Telangana Pollution Control Board also spoke on the occasion. P Nagarjuna Rao of Ayyappa Infra Projects Pvt Ltd and officials of ARCI and NEERI were among those present during the occasion.