In a major initiative towards a cleaner and healthier Himachal Pradesh, the Jal Shakti Vibhag (JSV) and the Rural Development Department today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the co-treatment of faecal sludge at existing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The collaboration aims to strengthen wastewater management systems and reduce pollution in water bodies.
The MoU was signed by the Director of Rural Development in the presence of the Secretary of Rural Development and the Engineer-in-Chief of the Jal Shakti Vibhag.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the state has been actively addressing faecal sludge management challenges. The JSV has identified 22 existing STPs where infrastructure will be upgraded to enable co-treatment of faecal sludge, ensuring safe disposal in rural areas that largely rely on single-pit toilets.
The Rural Development Department, in partnership with the WASH Institute, has conducted surveys, trained engineers, and devised sustainable methods for faecal sludge management. With increasing population, tourism, and labour influx, overflowing pits pose serious environmental and health risks by contaminating rivers, ponds, and streams.
As part of the pilot phase, STPs at Palampur (Kangra district) and Sundernagar (Mandi district) have already been made co-treatment compliant and are fully functional, providing safe sludge treatment for nearby rural communities.
In the near future, all feasible STPs under the Jal Shakti Vibhag will be upgraded for co-treatment, ensuring sustainable faecal sludge management across rural Himachal. This initiative reinforces the state’s commitment to environmental protection and public health under the vision of a clean and green Himachal.
Representatives from the WASH Institute and Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) were also present during the signing ceremony.
