Sambalpur, Dec. 28: Work on the proposed common sewage treatment plant at the district headquarters hospital here is all set to be delayed. Till date, bidders have not evinced interest for the work.

"Though the tender for the project was floated twice, no bidder responded to it," said Jadab Chandra Dehury, the sub-divisional officer of the Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO).

The first tender for the sewage treatment plant was floated in January but no bidder came forward. The PHEO floated the second tender in October, but none responded. The estimated budget of the project is around Rs 1.54 crore.

Dehury said: "A decision has been taken to float a fresh tender for the implementation of the project. We have already revised the estimate and a fresh tender will be floated shortly."

The sewage treatment plant has been planned to treat wastewater generated from the hospital. It has also been planned to set up a 200 kilolitres per day (kld) wage treatment plant on the premises of the hospital.

"The wastewater of the hospital will be treated before being released into the drains after the project materialises. The wastewater, which will be treated, could be we used for other purposes such as floor washing or gardening," said a PHEO official.

At present, the hospital generates more than 100kld of wastewater. The proposed plant will address the needs over the next 30 years.

Because of absence of the plant, wastewater, needles and other hazardous medical wastes of the 223-bed government-run hospital is being released into the drain. Moreover, as the drain flows into the Mahanadi river, the waste released from the hospital is affecting its health.

"The hospital's waste should be treated before being drained into public sewers. The concerned authority should expedite the process and materialise the long-pending sewage treatment plant," said local resident Bharat Pradhan.