NGT directs Karnataka Chief Secretary to take steps to to safeguard Thanisandra residents

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Karnataka Chief Secretary to take steps to safeguard the public due to the high tension line in Ashwathanagara in Thanisandra ward of Byatarayanapura sub-division of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)

The Principal Bench of the NGT headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also directed the BBMP to take action to complete works related to sewerage, STP (Sewage Treatment Plant), maintenance of storm water drains in the ward.

The Bench passed this order after hearing a petition alleging that there were illegal construction of houses and shops under high power transmission lines without safety distance in Ashwathanagara. The petition also said that storm water drains connected to the lakes of Bengaluru were also encroached and untreated waste water discharged into the drains.

Noting the BBMP's claim that 90 per cent of underground drainage in the ward has been completed and construction of the STP was in progress, the NGT said, “there has to be synchronization of entire sewerage works i.e. underground sewerage and the STP. The storm water or surface water run off through storm water drains needs to carry only unpolluted water so that receiving water bodies/lakes do not get contaminated.”

“From BBMP and BWSSB all necessary actions were taken by providing underground drainage system to dispose untreated sewage water to sewage treatment plant (STP) and also constructed the RCC drains to dispose the surface and rain water in Ashwathnagara, surrounding area as well as other area of ward No. 06 (Thanisandra) and taken all necessary actions for protection of environment,”the BBMP said.

The BBMP also said that the Electricity power to these buildings were given by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company limited (BESCOM). Any violations pertaining to high tension lines, the KPTCL has to take remedial action as per norms. There were so many such cases in Ashwathnagara and other areas of Bangalore. The BBMP had sent a letter to the BESCOM for disconnections of the power supply to the buildings under/near high tension lines, it said.

Earlier, the BBMP in its report to the NGT said that there were totally 320 unauthorised buildings/houses/shops/sheds at Thanisandra main road eastern and western side of the roads along high tension line in Ashwathanagara.

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