Own Correspondent: The cost of the Chittagong Wasar Sewerage Project is increasing before the start of the work. The catchment area first phase construction cost was fixed at Tk 3,808 crore. Now DPP has been prepared to increase about 1 thousand crore rupees. The project officials said that some changes have been made in the design of the project. Project costs have increased due to the appreciation of the dollar and the use of new technologies. Presently piling work of the project is going on. The pipeline installation work will start from next December.
The implementation of sewerage project in Halisahar area of the city is going on. Sewerage project is being implemented on 163 acres of Wasar here. However, due to various complications, the work of the project is progressing slowly. Officials said that the city is divided into six catchment areas and the implementation of the sewage project is underway. Among them, the first phase of catchment area work is going on in Halishahar. If this project is implemented, 2 million people will benefit from the system. Although the implementation period of the project is till 2023, it has to be extended. Out of the six catchment areas of the project, except three in Halishahar, Baklia will be constructed in Hamidchar, Kalurghat and Fatehabad.
The project officials said that for the implementation of catchment-1, an expenditure of 3 thousand 808 crores has been fixed. Out of that, 50 crore is being given by Chittagong Wasa and the remaining amount is given by Korean Exim Bank. In the rest, Japan, Korea, France and JICA will finance the implementation of sewage projects. Malaysia based consulting company Erinko is implementing this project. The plan was to implement the first phase of catchment in Halisahar area. Now an initiative has been taken to implement three catchments in this place of Halishahar by changing the design. New technology will be used in the project work. The rise in the value of the dollar has also increased the price of construction materials. Except catchment area-1, the feasibility study is going on.
The Catchment-1 plant will have two treatment plants namely a Solid Waste Treatment Plant (STP) with a capacity of 100 million liters and a Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) with a capacity of 300 tonnes. A Korean company will build the refinery and two Chinese companies will build the pipeline.
Sewerage Project Director Engineer Ariful Islam said the DPP was prepared for the project in 2014. The price of construction materials was fixed considering the then market rates. Now the construction material and dollar cost of the project has increased over time. Some changes have been made in the design of the project. Therefore, the cost of the project has increased considering the current market price. According to technical verification, about 30 percent area of the city is unsuitable for laying sewage pipelines. In this case, under fecal sludge management, toilet waste will be taken to the treatment plant by vacuum trucks and cars.
