According to a DJB official, the plant, which is odourless and functions on clean fuel, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 204 crore. The waste water treatment plant aim to trap highly polluted water at Delhi Gate Nalla and discharge treated clean water into Yamuna.

"Delhi Gate Nalla brings waste water from Old Delhi areas. Trapping and treating the flow of the Delhi Gate drain is part of the active plan of DJB to trap the 18 polluted drains falling in river Yamuna and treat their discharge so that only clean water flows into the river," the official said.

The official said the 15-MGD waste water treatment plant is based on advanced technology, which functions on high rate clarifier with combined biologically flooded filters.

"These filters have the advantage of having an environment friendly smaller footprint. Plant will be operated with an automatic system using SCADA and is expected to provide tertiary level treatment to the waste water trapped from the Nalla," the official said.

Treated effluent will have high quality parameters of Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) which will be less than 10 mg/l. "The BOD and TSS levels of waste water coming in this drain is more than 200 mg/litre which was a substantial contributor to pollution load of the river."

DJB claims the plant is presently under trial run and treats 8-10 MGD and will be fully commissioned by the end of this month. As per DJB the plant will run on clean energy.

"To cut down on its operational cost and add to the power availability in the city, this plant will meet 50 per cent of its power demand by captive biogas based power generation engines thus it will run on clean energy and reduce air pollution caused due to discharge of Methane in the environment," the official said.