The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has warned Halasuru’s Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha of disciplinary action, including a closure notice, for not complying with orders issued for more than a year.
The orders have been issued for a series of violations — including undertaking construction without necessary clearances and building on the stormwater drain — following a directive from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Following a reminder show cause notice in October 2022, the gurudwara authorities pointed out that they did not need to build a sewage treatment plant (STP) as the built-up area of the construction was 4,272 sqm.
However, in the latest notice, the KSPCB stated that the gurudwara had indeed constructed a 4,272 sqm building and established a sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 50 KLD.
The KSPCB cited the May 2013 NGT order and the provisions of the Water Act, pointing out that establishing and commissioning an STP without "valid consent of the Board" was a violation on the part of the authorities.
The gurudwara, sprawled over 8,284 sqft of land on Kensington Road in Halasuru, was leased by the BBMP for Rs 200 per year.
The Board clarified that during inspection, it was observed that the expansion part of the building encroached on the stormwater drain. However, the flow of water was not obstructed, and the functionality of the stormwater drain remained intact.
The case was transferred to the southern bench of the NGT on July 17, as Karnataka falls under its jurisdiction.
Published 23 July 2023, 20:33 IST