Company looking to scale up Sewage Treatment Plant project in Udaipur, a step towards ‘Smart City”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for “Smart Cities” would have to cross through “Swachh Bharat” as the cleaner India would only lead to “Smart Cities”.

A country where more than 50% population defecates in open, how would “Smart Cities” be developed without fully adopting “Swachh Bharat”. Cities are also not far behind in open defecation, though the major problem lies is in the villages.

The situation is alarming. Only 21% of India’s rural population uses improved sanitation facilities out of 31% of national figures.  Countries like Bangladesh and Brazil have only 7% of their population defecating in open. In China only 4% of the population defecates in open.

In association with Government of Rajasthan, Hindustan Zinc has constructed the first PPP Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Udaipur, with a capacity to treat 20 million litres of sewage daily, which treats 30% of Udaipur’s domestic sewage. The company has invested close to Rs. 170 crore on this project.

Taking forward the success of this STP, which has brought significant cleanliness in lakes, Hindustan Zinc is looking forward to scale up its Sewage Treatment Plant project to treat 100% of Udaipur’s domestic sewage.

Udaipur creates about 70 million litres of house-hold sewage every day and currently Hindustan Zinc plant has the capacity to treat 20 million litres of sewage per day.

“Hindustan Zinc has been working very closely with the government of Rajasthan towards Swachh Bharat campaign and we are in discussion with the Rajasthan Government to scale up our Sewage Treatment proposal to treat 100% of domestic sewage of Udaipur in phases”, informed company’s spokesperson.

Hindustan Zinc has also taken the responsibility to construct 40,000 house-hold toilets in rural Rajasthan and separate toilets for boys and girls in 623 government schools.  Recently, the Company has signed an MoU with Rajasthan Government and adopted 3055 Anganwadi Centres in Rajasthan under its child-care campaign “Khushi”. Besides improving the nutrition and infrastructure, child-friendly toilets are being constructed in 1000 Anganwadi Centres.

“So far construction of 11,425 house-hold toilets have been completed which includes 2700 house-hold toilets in Udaipur, 6870 in Bhilwara, 1570 in Chittorgarh and 285 house-hold toilets in Rajsamand districts of Rajasthan. Toilets have also been constructed in 170 rural government schools” informed Pavan Kaushik, Head of Corporate Communication.

Aligning with PM’s “Swachh Bharat” last year, Hindustan Zinc had launched its campaign “Maryadaa” a year ago that emphasised role of individuals and institutions towards developing a strong sanitation awareness and infrastructure in rural Rajasthan. “Maryadaa” had focus to involve schools, panchayats, rural opinion makers, rural women, and particularly, the young women to advocate and practice good sanitation habits and stop defecation in open.