Apartment dwellers oppose BWSSB's new order on STPs

Dwellers in small apartment are up in arms against Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for making Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and dual piping system mandatory.

They refuse to follow new rules despite the Board setting a December 31, 2017-deadline. Members of Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF) said that it is practically impossible for the existing apartments having 50 and more residential units to set up STPs. A final notification was issued by BWSSB asking owners or the occupiers of apartments, commercial establishments and educational institutions to set up STP and dual piping system on April 21, 2017.

BAF which claims to have support of more than 250 apartment associations has decided against the new rule in every possible way.

“Vested interests are behind this new norm. More than a lakh dwellers are against it. We want to know how setting up STP will help when the treated sewage is finally going to end in SWDs and polluted lakes. The move is illogical,” said general secretary, BAF, Srikanth Narasimhan.

A resident of Century Park apartments in Ashok Nagar said that there is hardly any space left in their apartment complex for setting up a STP. “Moreover, setting up a STP is a costly affair and we are against the notification,” he said.

BWSSB sources said that there was no question of withdrawing guidelines. Apartment dwellers have been given sufficient time to set up STPs and dual piping system.
DH News Service