Govt tells BWSSB, KSPCB to frame rules for safety of pvt STPs

The government on Friday directed the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to set guidelines with regard to operation, maintenance and safety of private sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the city.

In a meeting with stakeholders here, T M Vijaya Bhaskar, Additional Chief Secretary, said both the BWSSB and the KSPCB will choose and train people to operate the private STPs.

He said that they have to frame rules to penalise contractors and in-charge officers who fail to provide protective gears to workers involved in cleaning and maintaining septic tanks, manholes and soak pits. A proposal was also made in the meeting to provide a loan at subsidised rates to people of a particular community involved in the cleaning of drains, manholes and septic tanks. The loan should be lent to buy jetting and sucking machines instead of involving in any manual scavenging.

The officers from the BWSSB, KSPCB, BBMP, Social welfare department and members of Safai Karmachari Commission attended the
meeting.

Following complaints about open defecation and manual scavenging at the Mahamasthakabhisheka event in Shravanabelagola, a team from the social welfare department will be sent on Saturday to check this.