Bhubaneswar, Nov. 8: Scientists at the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) here have discovered a unique way of treating wastewater by constructing an artificial wetland.

The central government institute, which inaugurated a similar facility on its campus here today, has proposed that Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation implement the plan all over the city.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, along with a technical team of the civic body, visited the plant site today and observed the technology. "It is a very natural process of treating wastewater. It also requires low investment. We will consider inclusion of the technology in the smart city project and implement it in the city," said the mayor.

Scientists installed a similar facility on the CRPF campus in 2015.

The new technology, which is called "Constructed Wetland-based Sewerage Treatment Plant", will use a specific plot of land for passive treatment of mildly polluted wastewater. The new system doesn't require any mechanical or electrical machinery or chemical dosing for treatment.

According to the new technology, the institute here has constructed wetland with the help of soil. It has barricaded it with clay and polythene liner to prevent seepage of wastewater into the ground. Scientists also used sand to fill up the basin area and planted aquatic vegetation and converted the area into a micro garden.

Senior scientist of the institute Asheesh Kumar Yadav said the pollutant treatment mechanism in such a wetland was based on natural processes. "Constructed wetlands look very simple, but it involves multi-mechanism such as adsorption, filtration, sedimentation, biological uptake, degradation and more," said Yadav.doesn't need any operational cost, for a layman to operate especially when the Swachh Bharat Mission is presently underway. "The city wide implementation of the constructed wetland technology will help the civic body in sustainable management of the sewerage water," said Mishra.