Not all 99 apartments around Bellandur need to get sewage plants

Some of the 99 apartments  mandated to instal  sewage treatment plants (STPs) have the BWSSB's permission  to let their sewage directly into lakes, the  Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) learnt on Wednesday.  

The KSPCB  has summoned the owners of all apartments situated around Bellandur and Varthur lakes. The hearing will continue on Thursday.  

On January 29, the National Green Tribunal ordered the KSPCB to direct 99 apartments to instal their own sewage treatment plants. The apartments were seen as illegally discharging their sewage into the waterbodies.  The board, however, has not yet  named them.  

The KSPCB also learnt that some apartments had taken permission from gram panchayats as they  were part of the 110 villages added to Bengaluru in 2007. These villages had no underground drainage lines or terminal STPs.  

Tushar Girinath, Chairman,  BWSSB, confirmed that no objection certificates (NOCs) had been given  to apartments (to let sewage water into the lake), but said that if there were no sewer lines, the  STPs must come up. In areas where there are sewer lines, the  permissions will be revoked. He didn't rule  out fake  or innocuous NOCs that need to be checked.  

Since the apartments have the BWSSB's permission, the pollution control board will have to whittle down the list.  

KSPCB Chairman Lakshman  told DH:  "We are hearing the  case of every apartment. We will shorten the list of apartments that need to instal sewage treatment plants."  

The board seems to be racing against time. It has to  submit the list to the  tribunal  by February 28.  

"We have not yet published the list. We will put the names on our website only after the final list is prepared and submitted to the NGT," Lakshman said. He added that some apartments had  already started installing sewage treatment plants after the tribunal's order came.  

The board wants to know whether apartments have the  BWSSB's permission to let sewage into  sewer lines, payment receipt, number of  units in the apartment,  documents of all approvals obtained, space available for installation of STP, setback area, details of owners and whether the building is maintained by  an association or the owner.  

Apartment owners have sought more time to instal sewage treatment plants, saying they have neither resources nor the provision to comply with the order.