The TrickyScribe with inputs from Ashwani Khurana: With the skyrocketing urbanization in the country, there has been an apparent increase in the need for and the use of water. Around 80 percent of the water supplied for domestic use, comes out as wastewater.
Work in progress for the proposed STP at Karma Lakelands, Gurugram, Haryana. Picture Credit: Ashwani Khurana
Wastewater, in most of the cases, is let out untreated and it either sinks into the ground as a potential pollutant of the water table or is discharged into the natural drainage system causing pollution in downstream areas.
There stands an urgent need for treating wastewater using modern technology and recover as much usable water as possible. It may be mentioned here that a majority of Indian towns and cities have either no or highly inadequate sewage treatment facilities.
Karma Lakelands
It was back in the 1980s that Ashwani Khurana pledged to plant trees at his office and his residence in posh South Delhi locality Vasant Kunj. He has planted more than two lakh saplings many of whom have already grown into large-scale trees. Khurana believes that afforestation, like charity, should begin at home but shouldn’t end there. Khurana acquired the plot in 1989 turned that into Karma Lakelands. It is a nearly 300 acres of land with more than 200,000 existing trees and plants.
Road up to Karma Lakelands
Right from being the highest Indian income tax assessee in 1989 to becoming a visionary and guiding light for Karma Lakelands, Khurana has always believed in ‘Responsible Living’. He not only encourages ecological and sustainable practices like water harvesting, organic agro, sewage treatment among others but also practices them at his resort, home and community.
Sewage Treatment Plant
The project in Naurangpur locality of Gurugram, Haryana, has a dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP) with a capacity to treat half a million liters of sewage daily. Of course, no golf course and its patrons can generate sewage in volumes as aforementioned, adjoining societies were persuaded to get their wastewater recycled free of cost. The project is already in its last leg and is likely to be commissioned in the near future. Recycled water can be used for irrigation purposes.
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The STP being installed uses moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology known to increase reliability, streamlining operations in less space.
Being compact and efficient apart, the MBBR STPs that employ millions of polyethylene biofilm carriers operating in diverse motion within an aerated wastewater treatment basin also do not release any toxic gas. Another feature, although optional is that of a reed bed that further enhances the purity of treated water.
Benefits of Recycled Water
At a time when golf courses around the world have been infamous for being guzzlers of groundwater and chemicals, the aim of Karma is to eventually put a stop to both. Minimising the use of groundwater to zero, with the use re-cycled water will give rest to the water table which will then be allowed to rise, rather than be depleted any further.
Irrigational use of recycled water is always suggested for it is already nutrient-loaded. The MBBR produces minimal sludge, making treated water nutrient loaded. Whatever negligible sludge is left over is to be utilized as bio-compost in the landscape and golf course.
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