BBMP to upgrade effluent treatment plant at Tannery Road slaughterhouse

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has informed the National Green Tribunal that it will upgrade the effluent treatment plant (ETP) at Tannery Road slaughterhouse and will ensure that discharge from slaughterhouse should not enter Ulsoor lake.

The BBMP informed the Southern Bench of the NGT that once up-gradation of the ETP is complete, its discharge would be regular and pipes to filtration unit would be proper. There would not be any storage of effluents in the ETP, the Palike said.

BBMP Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, in his affidavit to the NGT regarding Ulsoor lake pollution case, also said that the BBMP has applied for renewal of consent for operation of slaughterhouse at Tannery Road and 50 KLD ETP to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

Earlier, the NGT Southern Bench took up suo-motu case on water contamination in the Ulsoor Lake due to indiscriminate discharge of sewage.

Recently the NGT-appointed experts panel recommended imposition of Rs 17.83 crore environment compensation against BBMP for operating the slaughterhouse on Tannery Road, Bengaluru and effluent treatment plants without valid consent and non-compliance of the discharge standards.

Urging the NGT not to impose environment compensation in the interest of public, the BBMP said that every effort would be taken to implement the directions issued by the Tribunal for cleaning the lake.

On the panel's suggestion to shut down the slaughterhouse, the BBMP said there is only one unit for large animals in Bengaluru and has to run in view of absolute necessity and being essential.

“In the event of unit not being run, there could be several illegal slaughterhouses, leading to animal waste being discharged to storm water drains and lakes eventually causing ground water pollution,” the BBMP said.

To upgrade and operate the ETP, an estimate of Rs 87 lakh and the DPR were being prepared. After getting approval from the KSPCB tenders would be floated, the BBMP informed the NGT.

On civil works in the slaughterhouse, an allocation of Rs 75 lakh was made available. The effluent generated from mutton stalls located within the slaughterhouses premises were not being disposed of directly to the underground drainage.

The BBMP and BWSSB will work jointly for improve underground drainage system to remove all obstacles to ensure easy flow of the drain water, it said.

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