Solar power plant installation underway at Nittoor STP with Rs 1 crore fund
Prakash Samaga
Coastal Talk News | Udupi
Udupi CMC had received approval to utilise Rs 1 crore under the ‘Jal Hi Amrit’ initiative of the Union government’s AMRUT 2.0 reforms during March this year. The fund is being utilised to improve facilities at the existing 12 MLD capacity sewage treatment plant (STP) at Nittoor. The initiative aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and strengthening monitoring of treated wastewater at the facility.
Sources in Udupi CMC told Coastal Talk News that the fund of Rs 1 crore is utilised and a 66 KV station supported by solar panels is currently being installed at the STP. The solar-based system is expected to improve energy efficiency and enable the plant to generate renewable power. Sources said, the electricity generated through solar energy will be used to illuminate sheds, the laboratory, watchman’s house, chlorine storage shed and other premises of the STP. Any surplus power generated will be supplied to the grid through MESCOM, sources added.
Officials said the initiative will help reduce operational costs while promoting the use of renewable energy in municipal infrastructure. The installation of solar panels and related equipment will strengthen the plant’s sustainability. Apart from energy efficiency, the funds will also be used to introduce the Online Consent Management and Monitoring System (OCMMS) at the treatment plant. The system, developed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), will enable continuous monitoring of the quality of treated water released from the plant.
Through OCMMS, key wastewater parameters such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) will be measured after treatment. These indicators are crucial in assessing the quality and environmental safety of treated wastewater before it is discharged. The system will also allow automatic generation of test reports, helping authorities maintain proper records and ensure regulatory compliance, sources in CMC informed. Officials also said that a portion of the funds will also be utilised to procure safety equipment for labourers working at the STP. Udupi CMC had earlier floated a tender for the works to be taken up under Rs 1 crore allocation received through the ‘Jal Hi Amrit’ initiative. CMC Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Durgaprasad told Coastal Talk News that solar panels have been installed and lights are being installed. OCMMS has arrived and will be installed soon. Within a week, all works will be completed, he added.
Photo- Solar panels being installed at sewage treatment plant of Udupi CMC at Nittoor
