Nagpur: The ambitious plan to use treated water from the Nag river for gardening and other purposes at Maharajbagh Zoo has failed to achieve its intended objectives. The sewage treatment plant (STP) set up at the zoo to recycle water is non-functional, forcing the zoo authorities to use potable water for daily needs, including gardening.
The Rs22 lakh STP, which operates on Phytorid technology, was designed to recycle nearly 1 lakh liters of sewage water daily. Constructed in 2012, it was intended to supply treated water for the 4.5-hectare expanse of Maharajbagh Zoo and irrigate approximately 4 acres of the experiential learning unit and PG research farm of the horticulture section of Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), which also manages the zoo. The zoo and the farm are located on opposite sides of the Nag river.
However, the STP, developed using CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Institute’s (NEERI) wastewater treatment technology, is now defunct due to neglect by PDKV officials following the transfer of its principal investigator, Ashok Mhaske, to Akola.
Maharajbagh Zoo, which requires 30,000 liters of water monthly, incurs an annual expenditure of Rs5 lakh on municipal water bills. Beyond financial concerns, the use of potable water supplied by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for gardening and irrigation has drawn criticism.
When contacted, zoo in charge Dr Sunil Bawaskar declined to comment, while head of the horticulture department Dr Vinod Raut redirected TOI’s queries to Dr Anil Pimpale, who oversees agricultural engineering. However, Pimpale also refused to comment, stating that Dr Mhaske was responsible for the STP. Associate dean Dr Vilas Atkare, principal of the College of Agriculture, indicated that he would review the STP’s operations and respond.
Meanwhile, PDKV sources revealed that Mhaske had not delegated responsibility for the STP before relocating to Akola. Mhaske, however, maintained that the farm in charge had been overseeing its operations.
How STP functions
An intake well established on the southern side of the Nag river supplies sewage water to the primary settling tank. The sewage water is treated through a Phytorid bed, wetland plants, and filter media. The wetland plants absorb heavy metals and enhance the oxygen levels in the water.
