Uttar Pradesh (UP) is making progress in managing urban water and wastewater, but many cities are lagging behind, according to an assessment by the Center for Science and Environment (CSE). . A workshop and high-level meeting on sanitation and water management in UP organized by CSE and Department of Urban Development (DoUD). The discussions focused on the sustainability of the ongoing development of infrastructure, divisional management facilities and lake regeneration projects under the jurisdiction of AMRUT. Although UP has constructed 58 sewage and solid waste treatment plants (FSSM), only 40 plants are operational. A CSE assessment found that nearly 20 cities, including Lucknow, have factories underperforming with capacity utilization between 0 and 5 percent. The AMRUT mission has taken note of these lapses and issued directives to improve performance. CSE released three new reports at the event: “Septage Management in Uttar Pradesh: Scaling Up and Sustainability Lessons,” “Infusing New Life: Gaps and Challenges in Managing Lakes and Ponds and Groundwater in Four Selected AMRUT Cities of Uttar Pradesh,” and “Monitoring and Evaluation of FSTPs and STP Co-treatment Plants in Uttar Pradesh.” These reports highlighted the progress and challenges in managing water and wastewater in UP, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and optimal use of resources.
CSE Director General Sunita Narain emphasized the importance of ensuring that the state’s water management initiatives are sustainable, advocating for the reuse of treated water and sludge. She highlighted the impact of climate change on water scarcity and stressed the need to adopt water-wise practices to secure UP’s water future. Other speakers, including Ajay Kumar Shukla, Ritu Suhas, and P K Srivastava, also stressed the importance of holistic approaches to water management and the need for replication of successful FSSM projects across the state. Despite the government’s efforts, many challenges remain. Narain highlighted the need to increase the capacity to use treatment plants, improve management and maintenance models and focus on the reuse of treated water and biologicals. Depinder S Kapur, director of the water program for CSE, said that UP has made progress in developing waste water treatment systems, second only to Odisha. However, it is still a challenge to ensure the efficient operation of these power plants. The conference emphasized the importance of addressing water and wastewater issues to ensure sustainability and security for UP’s urban areas.