Visited Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant at Lubhu on WASH FORUM Reloaded

Edited by: Ms. Anita Bhuju, Network Coordinator, Paschim Paaila
-Ms. Janaki Shrestha, Member, Paschim Paaila Batch III

Paschim Paaila in collaboration with ENPHO has been organizing WASH Forum Reloaded (WFR), an interaction, knowledge sharing and idea generating program, every month. On 28^th February, 4^th Series of WASH Forum Reloaded on “Faecal Sludge Treatment for Ecological Sanitation and Resource Recovery” was organized with a visit at Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) at Lubhu, Lalitpur. This series of FOURM was organized with an objective to share knowledge and sensitize youths on recovery of waste as resources and to provide learning platform for youths on FSM as entrepreneurship opportunity.

Mr. Surya Prasad Ghimire, Incharge and care taker of FSTP, Lubhu facilitated to share about the information on establishment, partner organization, working mechanism, advantage and existing challenges and functionality of the system during with the visit at site. This treatment plant shows the circle “Table to Toilet, Toilet to Table”.

The treatment plant was constructed by ENPHO in support of BORDA in collaboration with Saligrahm Balgriha and Mahalaxmi Municipality. The treatment plant have capacity to treat 2 tank/week of sludge. Treated sludge gives three products as resources i.e. biogas, treated wastewater and manure. Saligrahm Balgriha have been using treated wastewater and manure in the farmland to produce vegetables which is provided to children at Balgriha. As mentioned by Mr. Ghimire, the vegetables and manure is produced in good amount and thus they have also been able to sell it. Moreover, biogas has been produced enough to cook food to family of Mr. Ghimire living in the site. However, plastics and inorganic materials present in sludge brought to treatment plant sometimes causes problem in the treatment plant.

Ms. Ranju Yadav, participants of WFR said “I found the FORUM very interesting with interaction and demonstration and I am willing to attend upcoming series of WFR”. Ms. Anita Bhuju, Network Coordinator of Paschim Paaila closed the program with vote of thanks to facilitator and participants. Altogether 16 youths from various educational background such as environmental science, public health and social work from different institution attended the program.