Pay up in 15 days or lose water, power supply: NGT tells KSPCB to wake up Bengaluru apartment owners

Both Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the authority that gives occupancy certificate to buildings and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board that is tasked with supplying water and ensuring appropriate sanitation failed in cracking down on people flouting pollution norms. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has taken some action in issuing notices to 495 apartment owners for polluting lakes.

KSPCB officials say they had to take this decision after National Green Tribunal strongly objected to the pollution of water bodies. It is said that the stormwater drains in and around Mahadevpura that are connected to Bellandur, Varthur and Agara lakes are polluted as apartments, buildings, industries are producing sewage and effluents that that are being let untreated into the water bodies.

A whopping Rs 291 crore penalty has been imposed on apartment owners and builders and they have been given 15 days to comply with the order.