Corpus will help maintain sewage plants

The Environment Impact Assessment Authority has made it mandatory for projects spread over more than 20,000 sq metres (built-up area) to set aside a corpus to maintain, operate a sewage treatment plant for three to five years.

Nair Singh, chairperson of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and member of the authority, said, they had found that the sewage treatment plants were not maintained, especially in buildings erected under the slum redevelopment scheme, once the society is formed. The corpus would help to maintain the plants. “The treated water can be used for flushing and gardening,” she said.

Singh said the move will reduce the toxicity of water being released into the sea or other water bodies in the state.

But Vimal Shah, managing director, Akruti City, said he was unaware of any decision to set up a corpus.

Sunil Mantri of Sunil Mantri Realty said, “People are reluctant to shell out more for corpuses. They are unwilling to shell out even a one-time maintenance charge, an option that we had considered,” he said.