India’s great Sewage Crisis

India currently produces 72,368 million litres of sewage daily, out of which only 20,235 million litres are treated says the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report. Chandigarh is the only territory doing well in sewage management, treating188 million litres per day.

What is even more alarming is that India does not fully utilise its potential capacity to treat sewage. India’s current sewage systems and methods are able to treat 31,841 litres a day, and only 75% of the potential capacity is being utilised. According to a report 60% of the total sewage treatment systems installed in the country are only in 5 states, namely, Maharashtra, Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi. Northeastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and the two island Union territories, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep do not even have sewage plants installed in their territories. Surprisingly, Bihar produces 2,276 million litres of sewage daily but has zero capacity to treat it even after having a sewage treatment plant in place.