The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued a notice to apartments of Bhavani Enterprises Apartment based on a complaint lodged by one of its residents for not treating sewage properly.
The complaint, received on Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IGPRS) by Dhananjaya P, one of the residents of the Sobha Arena Apartment, alleged there was foul smell and worms in the sewage treatment plant (STP) water at the building. The KSPCB issued a notice to the authorised signatory of Bhavani Enterprises, Sarjapur-Marathalli Outer Ring Road, stating that the DEO had inspected the apartment complex on December 7, 2023, and found that the STP was established below ground level and not provided with a proper exhaust system to prevent the stink.
“You have not entered the energy meter readings in the log book maintained for STP operations. Filter press is not being operated and kept idle and the motor fitted to the filter press is under repair. You have not furnished the periodic treated sewage water quality monitoring reports (analysed through MoEF & CC approved laboratory) to the Board. You have not provided sign boards viz., ‘Danger’ & ‘Treated sewage effluent not fit for drink’ in the STP area,’’ the KSPCB Regional Office said.
The KSPCB Regional Office has directed the authorised signatory to submit a compliance report (along with documentary evidence) to the above mentioned violations within seven days from the date of receipt of this notice. “Failing which this Office will recommend the Board to initiate penal action under the provisions of the Section 33(A) of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974,’’ the notice said.
The KSPCB Regional Office wrote a letter to the KSPCB Zonal Senior Environmental Officer on April 2, 2024 to initiate action under the Section 33(A) of the Water Act, 1974 against the residential apartment.
“The DEO had inspected the apartment on December 7, 2023 and observed certain non-compliances.. Based on the non-compliances, this office has issued SCN to the Sobha Developers Ltd vide ref (4). However, the occupier of the apartment has not yet submitted the reply to the said show-cause notice.
In view of the above, the apartment was once again inspected on March 21, 2024 and observed that no measures have been taken to comply with the non-compliances observed during the previous inspection. Please find the draft NPD (Notice of Proposed Direction) to be issued to the Apartment and it is recommended to issue the NPD to the Apartment at the earliest,’’ said the Environment Officer of Rajarajeshwari Nagar in a letter to the KSPCB Zonal Senior Environmental Officer.
Karnataka Home Buyers Forum Sanchalak Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar said that the promoters need to fix the problem to comply with the law if there are any violations. “We advise home buyers to ensure they form a registered association of allottees under a competent authority, audit the STP operation for compliance with Water Act and then take over the STP,’’ he said.