Tripura: A Trailblazer in Sanitation

Innovative sanitation measures, especially in solid waste management and sewerage system, have made Tripura a trailblazer in cleanliness drive. Tripura won one SKOCH Order-of-Merit in Municipality category. Tripura is placed in CATCHING-UP category in this year’s SKOCH State of Governance study.

Agartala Municipal Corporation is at the forefront of the cleanliness drive in Tripura. The Corporation has started various developmental projects with an objective to make the city “healthy, wealthy and green”. As part of its cleanliness drive, the Corporation has put in place an effective solid waste management system.

Agartala Sewarage Scheme is an innovative programme aimed to make the city pollution free. A sewerage treatment plant of 8 MLD capacity has been constructed based on Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology. This plant receives the sewage generated from the Municipal Northern Zone and part of the east zone to cater to nearly 40 per cent of the total population of Agartala.

The project has reduced Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) much below the permissible limit in the storm water drainage, which meets the “kata khal” and there has been specific objection over it from the neighbouring country Bangladesh where the said canal disposes of. Now with the implementation of this sewerage scheme, a considerable reduction in the BOD level of this canal has been made possible. People are now more enthusiastic that they are able to avoid septic tank construction and periodic cleaning of it, which in turn will make the city healthier and pollution free.