Apartments must instal STPs by Dec 31 or pay 25% fine: BWSSB

Apartment complexes with 50 or more flats will be fined 25% of the water bill if they fail to instal sewage treatment plants by December 31. The penalty will be 50% if they do not instal STPs even after three months.  

BWSSB Chairman, Tushar Girinath, said notices had been issued to 1,043 apartment complexes to set up STPs, but most them had not fallen in line.  

The Bangalore Apartments' Federation is protesting against the BWSSB decision on Saturday.  

Another senior official of the BWSSB said: "People bother only after we penalise them. But this is the only way this issue can be set right."

Meanwhile, the  board has clarified that people living in  multi-storeyed buildings (ground plus two) that do not have occupancy certificates (OCs)  must pay 50% of the monthly water bill as fine.  Municipal corporation guidelines mandate OCs for multi-storeyed buildings. "Issuing  OCs is the BBMP's job. We are just doing our job," the official said.  

The issue was raised at the BBMP council's monthly meeting on November 29.