Shocking: 2,500 apartments turn stormwater drain into sewage
- BWSSB says 2,500 apartment complexes have no sewage treatment plant
- The officials say the sewage from these complexes are entering storm water drains and lakes
- The board has given six months time, failing which it plans to impose fine from Rs 50,000 to one lakh
Follow
The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) officials say they will give only six months time to set a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to apartments which do not have one, failing which each apartment will be imposed with a penalty of over Rs 1 lakh depending on the monthly water tariff .
Following the cases of sewage inflow into the lakes through storm water drains, the top BWSSB officials confirmed that many of the apartments from Rajarejeshwari Nagar, HSR Layout, Varthur, Bellandur, Yemlur, Thanisandra, Horamavu and other places have no sewage treatment plant.
“These are 20 units apartments, and it is mandatory for such apartments to install STPs at their premises and treat the water. In 2008 itself we have brought the rules, yet still close to 2,500 apartments have not installed. Now with new rule of STPs for 50 unit apartments we will get only six months time, failing which every apartment complex will be imposed with a penalty of not less than a Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh," said Kemparamaiah, Engineer-In-Chief
The Karnataka State Pollution Board also welcomed this move to and said that this will bring some discipline among apartment dwellers who have not installed STPs "The approximate figures given by the BWSSB about apartments letting sewage into storm water drains and lakes is baffling. We will have to take such decision as most of our lake and groundwater is polluted," said Lakshman. However, Bengaluru Apartment Federation representative lashed out at the BWSSB for generalising all the apartments and enforcing such a draconian law and forcing apartment dwellers install STP.
"There is no logic behind such a move. We has asked a simple question to BWSSB Chairman Tushar Girinath on apartments which were built between 1980 to 1990. They are already connected to underground sewage and why should they be forced to install such STP, the chairman did not give any convincing answer. Instead, he was insisting all the apartment have STPs," said Srikanth from Bengaluru Apartment Federation
