70 Drains Flowing into Arpa to Get Comprehensive Treatment Plan: Sonmoni Borah

Principal Secretary, Urban Administration and Development Department, Sonmoni Borah (centre), reviews Bilaspur’s urban development works with Collector Sanjay Agrawal and SSP Rajnesh Singh at the Collectorate on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Principal Secretary orders detailed DPR to curb pollution in Arpa River; stresses water conservation, quality construction and time-bound completion of Bilaspur’s urban projects

Key Highlights

• Comprehensive action plan to be prepared for treatment of wastewater from 70 drains flowing into the Arpa River.
• Each drain’s condition and discharge volume to be assessed while preparing the DPR.
• Sonmoni Borah calls for long-term solutions keeping future water requirements in view.
• PMAY-Urban and other infrastructure projects to be completed without compromising quality.
• Progress of 500-seat Nalanda educational complex reviewed.
• Of 542 approved infrastructure works in Bilaspur, 334 are complete, 182 are under progress and 26 are yet to begin.
• Command and Control Centre to be strengthened for better traffic management and urban security.

Raipur: Protecting the Arpa River from untreated urban wastewater will require more than isolated interventions, Principal Secretary, Urban Administration and Development Department, Sonmoni Borah said on Tuesday as he ordered preparation of a comprehensive plan covering all 70 small and large drains flowing into the river in Bilaspur.

During an extensive review of Bilaspur Municipal Corporation’s schemes and development works at the Collectorate, Borah directed officials to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) after examining the technical feasibility, wastewater volume, future requirements and long-term effectiveness of the proposed treatment system.

Collector Sanjay Agrawal, SSP Rajnesh Singh, Municipal Commissioner Prakash Kumar Sarve and SUDA CEO Sumit Agrawal were among the officials present.

Untreated wastewater must not reach Arpa

Municipal officials informed the meeting that 70 small and large drains eventually discharge into the Arpa River. Borah sought details of the measures currently being taken to prevent polluted water from entering the river.

He made it clear that the city requires a comprehensive and sustainable solution rather than piecemeal measures.

“Polluted water from these drains should not be allowed to flow directly into the river. A system must be developed under which the wastewater is properly treated before being discharged into the Arpa,” Sonmoni Borah said.

He directed officials to assess the condition of every drain and the volume of water it carries before deciding the appropriate treatment mechanism.

“The technical feasibility, future requirements and long-term impact of the project must all be examined while preparing the plan,” he said.

Principal Secretary Sonmoni Borah chairs a detailed review meeting of Bilaspur Municipal Corporation’s schemes and development projects at the Collectorate on Tuesday. He directed officials to prepare a comprehensive plan for treating wastewater from 70 drains before it reaches the Arpa River. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Emphasising the growing importance of water security, Borah underlined the need to protect natural water bodies rather than treating river conservation merely as another municipal project.

“The coming era will be about water. We must therefore give special attention to the cleanliness and conservation of surface-water sources,” Borah said.

Cleanliness and traffic management need continuous improvement

The Principal Secretary also reviewed sanitation and traffic management in Bilaspur.

He asked officials to sustain cleanliness efforts while strengthening public awareness so that improvements become permanent rather than campaign-driven.

“The city must develop a system in which the standard of cleanliness continues to improve. Departments concerned with traffic management should work in close coordination to make movement across the city smoother,” Borah said.

No compromise on quality

Reviewing Central and State-sponsored urban schemes, Borah directed officials to accord priority to completing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.

He was categorical that deadlines should not come at the cost of construction standards.

“There should be no compromise whatsoever on the quality of development works. All sanctioned works must be completed within the prescribed timeframe,” he directed.

He also asked officials to consider solar energy-based solutions wherever feasible while planning urban-service projects, with an emphasis on making infrastructure useful and sustainable over the long term.

Nalanda educational complex reviewed

The progress of the under-construction Nalanda complex, being developed as a modern educational centre with seating capacity for 500 people, also came under review.

Officials informed Borah that the first-floor slab has been completed and around 50 per cent of the second-floor slab work is finished.

He directed the executing authorities to maintain construction quality and complete the project within schedule.

The review also covered projects under the Mukhyamantri Nagarotthan Yojana and other urban infrastructure programmes.

Bilaspur currently has 542 sanctioned infrastructure works. Of these, 334 have been completed, 182 are in progress and 26 are yet to commence. Borah directed officials to accelerate ongoing projects while maintaining both quality and stipulated timelines.

Command and Control Centre to become more effective

Following the review meeting, Borah visited the Command and Control Centre at Tarbahar along with Collector Sanjay Agrawal, SSP Rajnesh Singh and Municipal Commissioner Prakash Kumar Sarve.

He examined the functioning and operation of the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) and described the Command and Control Centre as a useful urban-management facility.

Borah directed officials to prepare an action plan to make the system more effective, particularly for strengthening traffic management and public safety across Bilaspur.