Half its posts empty, KSPCB not able to monitor STPs

Workers die cleaning STPs, but Board delays framing of rules

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has been indifferent in its approach towards monitoring  private STPs.

This came to the fore recently, when the State Commission for Safai Karmacharis held a meeting with stakeholders with regard to the deaths of labourers and monitoring of STPs. The official from KSPCB informed that they did not have the staff strength to maintain records and conduct inspection of STPs.

The Board has been indifferent towards the death of labourers caused while cleaning sewage treatment plants (STPs) and septic tanks. KSPCB, which is the regulatory authority in monitoring private STPs in the city, has not taken any steps in framing regulations or guidelines so far.

When the commission sought more details about STPs from KSPCB, the officials chose to keep themselves away from the meetings. The commission had to direct BBMP to conduct a survey and submit a report with the list of STPs in the city.

An official from the Board said that only 47% of the total staff strength was filled, making it extremely difficult for them to function. KSPCB officials have to conduct inspection of STPs and other industries to find if they are emitting pollutants. But such inspections were not being carried out effectively, the official said.

KSPCB has a sanctioned strength of 709 staff, of which 375 are vacant, including those of environmental officers and scientific officers.

KSPCB's member secretary G V Ranga Rao too admitted that staff crunch had affected the performance of the Board. "We are hiring staff on contract basis. We are hiring people for 171 posts and another 180 posts, shortly.   Hopefully, we should have a good strength by this year end," he said.