| Foreword Pollution
caused by sewage discharged from cities and towns is the primary cause for degradation
of our water resources. A solution to this problem not only requires bridging
the ever widening gap between sewage generation and treatment capacity (generation
being 29000 million litres per day against the existing treatment capacity of
6000 million litres per day) but also calls for development of facilities to divert
the treated sewage for use in irrigation to prevent nutrient pollution of water
bodies, utilize the nutrient value of sewage in irrigation and bring down fresh
water use in irrigation. The use of treated sewage in irrigation was emphasised
in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974; however, by and large,
the State Governments have failed to recognize its importance during the last
30 years. It is a matter of grave concern that due attention is not paid to operation
and maintenance of existing sewage treatment facilities by State Governments and,
as a result, 45 of the 115 sewage treatment plants studied recently by Central
Pollution Control Board failed to achieve the prescribed discharge standards.
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