Interview of Mr P J Biswas, Technical Advisor, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (S&D)
P J BISWAS, TECHNICAL ADVISOR, KMC (S&D)
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is one of the large municipal corporations in India. A.T.E. has partneored with KMC for the successful execution of several mega-wastewater management projects since 2009. In an interview with A.T.E., Mr P J Biswas, Technical Advisor, talks about the corporation, and their experience dealing with A.T.E. over the years.
P J Biswas, Technical Advisor, KMC (S&D)
A.T.E.: Can you brief us about Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)?
Mr Biswas: KMC was set up in 1726 and its management consists of a Mayor and 9 aldermen. KMC is one of the largest and oldest corporations in India managing the city of 10 million (resident and floating combined) population. KMC is responsible for supplying 350 MGD water, clearing 4000 MT of solid waste per day, managing 136 clinics and 119 health units and running 358 primary educational schools with more than 40,000 students. In the last few years, KMC has brought about a phenomenal change in Kolkata by upgrading basic infrastructure, revamping inefficient administrative processes and introducing some innovative strategies for improved delivery of citizen services through its 42 departments to provide various services to the citizens of Kolkata.
A.T.E.: What were the challenges faced by KMC in wastewater management?
Mr Biswas: KMC has 62 drainage pumping stations within Kolkata, which are combined pumping stations pumping sewage during dry weather and storm water with sewage during rains.
INSTALLATION AT KMC
Managing these stations is a big challenge as Kolkata has common sewage and storm water channels. Like in other cities, in Kolkata too civilians use sewerage lines/open drains as dustbin for dumping all rubbish —whatever is not needed in the houses, factories or offices is dumped into the open drains. During storm weather we have huge problems as on one hand we have to fight against rain water flooding and on the other hand the sewage lines are filled with tyres, video tapes, tannery waste, plastic bottles and a lot more.
All this junk ultimately reach the pumping stations and thereby into the sewage pumps. This causes choking of sewerage lines and damages the sewage pumps.
This is why KMC always opts for most reliable equipment. KMC has always been a pioneer in implementation of modern and dependable technology so as to meet all emergency situations.
A.T.E.: Could you please tell us the steps you have taken in the area of wastewater management?
Mr Biswas: We took a series of steps for the efficient management of wastewater, some of which are:
- Replacement of the old vertical turbine pumps with highly efficient submersible pumps. In 1997 the first submersible pump for wastewater in India was installed in KMC.
- Developing screening system.
- Cleaning/de-siltation of old sewage lines, some of them built during British rule. This work is under progress.
- Construction of new drainage system in the areas which do not have proper drainage system.
- Setting up of new sewage treatment plants.
A.T.E.: Could you please tell us what factors influenced your decision to go with A.T.E. for your sewage pumping solutions?
Mr Biswas: We found A.T.E. to be a very reliable flow technology solution provider in terms of its pre-sales technical services, product offerings from globally reputed pump companies, and its competency in wastewater field. A.T.E. offers sewage and storm water pumps with skewed type impellers.
A.T.E.: Could you please tell us your experience dealing with A.T.E. in the execution of projects you have done with them?
Mr Biswas: The execution team at A.T.E. possess good technical skills and have good professional approach. They are quite result oriented and committed to meeting execution deadlines. We found them responsive in providing emergency support and immediate solution to resolve the service related issue.
A.T.E.: In all how many ABS pumps are currently working in KMC and how you find the performance of these pumps?
Mr Biswas: We have in all 31 ABS submersible pumps currently in use. The pumps range from 37 kW ratings to 273 kW. The first pump was installed in 2009 at Thanthania drainage pumping station.
Our experience with ABS pumps is quite satisfactory. Even the pumps installed in 2009 are working very satisfactorily. Through our experience we find that ABS submersible pumps with special non-clog semi-open, skew type impellers with internal spiral are quite suitable for our type of applications. This design has proved to be the best we have till now as they give trouble-free service and can handle rags, fibrous materials, etc.
A.T.E.: How do you find the services from A.T.E.?
Mr Biswas: As I had mentioned earlier, A.T.E.'s service in Kolkata is quite responsive and satisfactory. It has a good customer support team and competent service engineers based in Kolkata.
A.T.E.: Do you look at A.T.E. as your long-term partner?
Mr Biswas: Yes, we expect A.T.E. will maintain its excellent technical/service support in future as well.
