or on land without much danger of pollution. If properly operated there is no smell in the surrounding locality where it is constructed. In India this process works faster than in colder countries. CPHERI has designated this process as one of the "Low Cost Waste Treatment" methods.

Aerated Lagoons :

Aerated lagoons are ponds 8 to 12 ft deep having a geometric configuration and remain aerobic all through their operation with the help of diffused aeration or surface aerators (Photo 2). This process does not involve sludge recycling or primary treatment or sludge digestion in separate in separate digesters and purification of the waste could be brought about within relatively short periods of 2 to 3 days compared to 7 to 10 days for natural stabilization ponds.

The system maintains the dissolved oxygen all through the lagoon. This con. dition keeps the system free from odour and fly nuisance. When compared to a stabilization pond, the area requirement for the system is very little and the work carried out by the institute has shown that the area required varies from 1/6 to 1/10 of the land required for a stabilization pond for the same flow and conditions.

Floating Aerators :

The institute has embarked on a programme of developing floating aerators which could be made available to the public in standard sizes of 5, 10, and 25 hp models. Sewage treatment could then be simplified to a great extent, needing the municipality or organisations to install such floating aerators in simple earthen excavations of approapriate size with out any concrete or masonry construction. This would make the units really low cost facili. ties and permit easy expansion, modification, etc. in future as the townships develop. Pasveer-type Oxidation Ditches:

Oxidation ditches are shallow, circular or oval oarthen ditches, concrete lined or brick lined, which use a rotor or

aerator to provide oxygen and circulation. The oxidation ditch is similar to a complete mixed activated sludge plant except that the solids under aeration are kept at higher levels, i. e. the basic design is evolved on the principle of extended aeration and it is a closed circuit system followed by a clarifier with a sludge return facility.

In the Pasveer-type oxidation ditches (extended aeration process) the raw waste is aerated for a sufficient length of time by prolonged aeration bringing about conversion of the organic matter into microorganisms which are removed from the effluent by sedimentation. The sedimented solids from the sedimentation basin are returned or recycled as return sludge by feeding to the raw waste. This eliminates the need for primary sedimentation and sludge digestion which reduces both capital costs and operational problems.

The Institute has installed a pilot plant with a capacity of 40000 gal/day to treat domestic sewage. The cage rotors for aerating the ditch have been designed and fabricated at the institute. Results obtained so far have a greater potential for treating not only the sewage but also the industrial wastes, such as phenolic. strawboard and paper mill wastes.

The foregoing achievements are some of the many others that have been developed and successfully demonstrated by the CPHERI in the fields of water & sewage treatment. It is hoped that those charged with the task of putting these facilities, both in the Government. public or private sector organisations will take full advantage of the researches carried out by the Scientists of this Institute.

Acknowledgement

My thanks are due to Prof. S. J. Arceivala, Director, Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute, for his kind permission to publish this paper.

Set-up For Sanitation And Water Supply Schemes Needs An Overhaul

Water supply and drainage schemes are usually planned, designed and executed by the State departments on the request of local bodies and then handed over to them for maintenance. The local bodies are not free to raise the loans but have to obtain them through the State Government. Also for the matter of water tax, water rates, appointment of technical staff, budget provisions and byelaw enactment, local body has to obtain prior permission of the State Government. State Government in turn prepares and plans and schemes for the State and puts its proposals to the Central Government for allocation of funds. Major schemes are scrutinized by the Central Government before the funds are allocated.

This set up looks simple but the time has proved its inefectiveness. It has failed to meet the challenge. Most of the schemes are delayed. The overall cost is quite high and some of them lack in technical soundness. As there is no competitive spirit optimization is seldom achieved. The recent survey carried out by the CPHERI, Nagpur, reveals the unsatisfactory maintenance condition of the schemes. In many local bodies the rate structure and the collection procedures are faulty and huge arrears have piled up. The loans have not been paid back in time. The State Governments too, for varied reasons, have failed to take effective steps. The demands for quality, quantity and efficient management are increasing at a very fast rate but the growth rate in these facilities is very meagre. It is nearly impossible to achieve all sided development of the community without efficient Public Health Engineering services. The consumer is dissatisfied and his active participation is felt by its absence. What is wrong then? How it can be corrected? Opinions will widely differ on this issue but there will be unanimity of opinion that some thing drastic needs to be done to rectify the matters in

THE AUTHOR

What Is Wrong With
Present Set Up

1. The set up is predominantly a custodian type' and hence lacks initiative and drive.

2. The responsibility and power do not go hand in hand.

3. Weakest section namely the local bodies has the heaviest burden.

4. Political and other influences play a major role in decision making, than the merits of the case.

With such a set-up can we except any thing different than what is happening? Even the strong municipal organizations were ineffective in some countries and

Automonous Boards had to be established to activise the set up. Brazil is one such example2.

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1. It should fit in the political and social aspirations of the country as a whole. 2. It should be kept aloof from polis tical and other influences as far as possible. 3. It should be possible to have an intergrated and coordinated approach in planning.

4. Responsibility and power should go hand in hand so as to develop leadership type of management.

5. Maximum possible possible freedom in utilizing the resources and competitive spirit in the functions has to be maintained.

6. It should be consumer oriented to achieve consumer's active participation.

7. Rights of all concerned should have proper protection.

Sanitary District Boards

The entire country will be divided into suitable sanitary districts mainly on catchment basis. From every catchment an autonomous sanitary District Board will be organised. This Board can have branches for suitable portions of the catchment if needed. It will have represents atives from concerned State Governments, municipalities, experts, P. U. C. and other concerned major organizations.

Functions:

It has the responsibility to develop water resources, water storages, water treat. ment and water pollution control. It will supply in bulk these facilities to the local bodies or other organizations.

Revenue :

It will levy taxs and service charges (as per recommendations of P. U. C.) Financing :

It will receive plan allocations from Central Government and can raise loans from Government, semi Government or private agencies (as per practice recommended by the P. U. J. C.)

Public Utility Courts

These will be semi judiciary bodies organised mainly to guide, and act as watch dogs for the Public utility services. Though headed by a judiciary personnel it will also have a team of experts of concerned disciplines.

The P.U.C. will have the responsibility of putting forth standard practices for arriving at water rates, water taxes and other charges. It will also lay down rules for proportion of certain taxes to be paid by local bodies to the autonomous boards. It will lay down rules for raising loans by the autonomous boards and will protect the interests of the financing bodies. It will also see that consumers' interests are reaso nably protected and the consumer is assured of reasonably efficient services for which he has to pay, (the activity of such courts can also be extended to other public utilities like irrigation, transport, railways,