The Asian Development Bank prepared concept notes for introducing “Best Practices for Septage Management” for Technical Assistance Loan. The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed introducing “Best Practices for Septage Management” through TA Loan Number 7947-IND based on concept notes for piloting at Aizawl city & Lunglei town (Mizoram) and Himachal Pradesh (HP). The impact of this TA Loan is to improve access of urban population to proper sanitation facilities in unsewered zones such as hill towns and peri-urban areas in India. The TA is having following out puts:
(i) Development of Draft City Sanitation Plans (CSP) for pilot cities: The TA will support StateGovernment/ULBs to develop the draft CSP for pilot cities. The outputs include: (i) identification and selection of pilot cities with full justification; (ii) preparation of situation analysis; and (iii) preparation of draft city sanitation plan with consultations.
(ii) Development of Draft Septage Management Plan (SMP) for pilot cities/areas: The TA will explore the drafting of SMP with manual of practice. The management plans might be city-wide or area-wide depending on the feasibility and necessity for septage management, which would be identified by the CSPs. During this exercise, the TA will scrutinize the appropriate performance indicators since current Service Level Benchmarks (SLB) do not include indicators for service delivery by on- site sanitation.
(iii) Executing of pilot Scheme: The TA will carry out the pilot scheme to explore the feasibility of the septage management plans to be developed under this TA. The sites will be selected from the (proposed) project sites of the on-going loans, namely 2528-IND: North-Eastern Region capital Cities Development Investment Program and 2676-IND: Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism.
(iv) Provision of Training: The TA will develop relevant training materials to conduct appropriate septage operation and management. The training will be provided for relevant stakeholders in pilot cities using the materials. (v) Provision of Workshop: The TA will provide opportunities to disseminate the lessons learnt from the pilot schemes. In addition, international best practices from Japan will be presented for further consideration, especially for sanitation improvement at tourist destination.
The Workshop on sensitization of NERUDP:
The first consultation with stakeholders in regards to technology options was held at the workshop organized at Aizawl during February, 2012. The Japan Sanitation Consortium (JSC) made power point presentation on Johkasou technology in the workshop. The workshop was attended by officials from SIPMIU with DSMC, IDC, PHED, UD&PAD, Planning, Finance and Aizawl Municipal Council (AMC) as well as representatives of local NGO’s and media. The JSC prepared Survey Report on “Sanitation Challenges” in the Aizawl City. The report consists of the following three themes:
(i)Consideration of related matters in the design of sewerage net works
(ii)Introducing proper septage management
(iii)To find out possibility of innovative on-site technology and aerobic waste water treatment.
Contracting TA Consulting Services:
The ADB contracted IPE Global Private Limited, New Delhi for TA Consultants and signed Agreement for Mizoram in September 2012. The consultant mobilized at Aizawl and Lunglei from 20th November 2012 and submitted the first inception report in the early month of January 2013. TA team site office has set up and well functioning, support staff is placed. Team is mobilized with four senior consultants. Initiated consultations and field visit to the sites, began from January 2013 (Aizawl & Lunglei). Inception report is submitted in January 2013 . TA team visited the ADB, New Delhi and Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India and gave briefing on the ongoing status in February 2013.
Field survey proposal and formats are prepared. The Exposure trip on various subjects including appropriate technologies on Septage Management is planned and sites (out of State) are identified. The inception workshop is proposed to be organized in the month of May, 2013. Proposal of the sanitation task force for both the city and town has been made to the Government and a notification has been issued. Periodic consultation with all officials and other stakeholders are ongoing in both the cities.
The Inception of Report:
The inception Report have been prepared in consultation of this office and in line with the advisory / guidelines issued by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India on development of sewerage and septage management.The proposed development plan will be based on local requirements and field conditions.
The Government of Mizoram agrees after consultations with representatives from PHE Department and Aizawl Municipal Council (AMC) that the city sanitation Plan of Aizawl is prepared and need inputs for gap filling where as Lunglei CSP need to be prepared afresh and more focus of the TA is to prepare innovative Septage Management plan.
The technological solutions, especially new interventions for on-site sanitation, waste water treatment at decentralized manner and finally desludging with proper treatment facilities in the proposed plan needs more attention. As indicated in the report, plan would also focus on highlighting key issues for awareness material development, participation of the private operators and strengthening their capacities to improve services / challenges.
Under the pilot scheme the Inception report suggests the 7-capacity building programmes for various stakeholders. Technology demonstration would also be undertaken or initiated (maybe one working pilot with smallest capacity) and it includes developing local capacity building plan for entrepreneurs / institutions, which would play an important role during the implementation and sustainability. In this programme technical support will be extended by consultant and cost for the exposure trips and technology transfer for demonstration will be mobilized separately under this TA- loan.
Japan Sanitation Consortium (JSC):
The ADB contracted JSC for assisting the TA Consultants in April, 2013. The JSC team mobilized and re-visited Aizawl during the last week of April, 2013 in particular connection to piloting scheme at Aizawl and Lunglei. The stakeholders meeting was held on 27th April, 2013 where PHED, UD&PAD and AMC officials along with community members. The key point of discussions are:
(i)The JSC shared the members on technology used in Japan
(ii)The Legal Frame works and regulations for septage management
(iii)Economics/financial analysis
After the presentation, JSC members shared their experiences and concerns about the technology JSC team member also addressed the issues with appropriate solutions in transferring the technology in the State. The team and members had field visit and identified suitable site for demonstration of Johkasou technology. The team is expected to do mission during June, 2013.
At the end, the Project Director SIPMIU summarized the consultation with his remarks based on the deliberations made by the members
1)It is good to have quality and efficiency based appropriate technologies for SMP.
2)Road map to transfer the technologies may be first demonstrate, seek, feedback from the user, do modification as per the local needs be considered in the preparation of SMP.
3)During the process of demonstration local institution can initiate the process for necessary regulations. 4) The local capacities and entrepreneurs can be developing in the process to ensure sustainability.
The National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP) :
Sanitation is defined as safe management of human excreta, including its safe confinement treatment, disposal and associated hygiene-related practices. While this policy pertains to management of human excreta and associated public health and environmental impacts, it is recognized that integral solutions need to take account of other elements of environmental sanitation, i.e. solid waste management; generation of industrial and other specialized / hazardous wastes; drainage; as also the management of drinking water supply.
Framework for Developing State Sanitation Strategies:
(i) Clear assignment of institutional responsibility, resources and capacities
(ii) Setting standards at the State Level (within the overall frame of national standards)
(iii) Planning and financing at the State Level
(iv) Reaching the Un-served populations and the Urban Poor at the State level
(v) Service Delivery need to be responsible for asset-creation and managing systems including service delivery
(vi) Regulation of cities and within cities
(vii) Monitoring & Evaluation at the State and City Levels
(viii) Capacity Building & Training
Framework for a City Sanitation Plan:
(i) Constitute a multi-stakeholder City Sanitation Task Force.
(ii) The City Sanitation Task Force responsiblilities.
(iii) The Task Force should appoint one of the key agencies, preferably the ULB, to become the City Sanitation Implementing Agency for the CSP for the city.
(iv) Assign Institutional Responsibilities to the Task Force.
