'DNA' exclusive: Disobedient urban local bodies reveal a stinking mess

There is no better proof than this about how lightly urban local bodies take the treatment of raw sewage to enable recycling treated water for non-potable purposes. Only 30 of a total of 219 urban local bodies have followed Karnataka State Pollution Control Board's (KSPCB's) direction of mandatorily setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) for better management of increasing volumes of sewage in urban centres.

The pathetic situation has made KSPCB see red. The board has already booked 40 criminal cases against city municipal councils(CMCs)/town municipal council (TMCs), of which 13 cases are against Bangalore-based CMCs and TMCs. Most of the cases are in court and two CMCs have already received stay orders from the Supreme Court.

Now, KSPCB has set its eyes on booking criminal charges against the commissioner of the directorate of municipal administration, the nodal agency under which the STPs are monitored and maintained by urban local bodies.

Under the KSPCB Act, local bodies have to treat the effluents and water has to be released only after purifying the sewage water at the treatment plants. KSPCB mandated that the STPs be built and operated in individual residential complexes having 50 or more dwellings.

However, documents available with DNA reveal that only 30 local urban bodies have followed KSPCB's mandate and have obtained permission for setting up and operating STPs. Even among them, there are some who are not operating the plants properly.

The KSPCB had already informed the directorate of municipal administration about the rapidly worsening scenario and had stressed the need for people to realise the importance of recycled treated water.

Liquid wastage effluents should be treated before they are disposed into lakes or ponds. The STPs should be maintained by the local bodies, which instead are releasing effluents into lakes and ponds with out treating the sewage water.

KSPCB chairman, AS Sadashivaiah, said, "We have issued several notices to officials concerned, but they have still not taking initiatives to make sure the law is enforced. The next step will be to book a criminal case against the commissioner of DMA (directorate of municipal administration) under section 48 of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974," he said.

On May 19, KSPCB had issued a notice to the commissioner, directorate of municipal administration, in which it stated, "KSPCB has earlier issued directions to the municipal officers to provide STPs in all the urban local bodies. Till date, out of 219 local bodies only 30 local bodies have applied and obtained consent of KSPCB for operating their STP's and 35 local bodies have applied and obtained consent for establishing STPs. The above observations clearly indicate that you are discharging the polluted water into lake water or the low-lying areas causing injuries to the health of flora, human beings and the environment, and such an action on your part attracts penal action as per law."

It further reminded, "The additional chief secretary of Urban Development Authority in his letter dated November 25,2010, directed to implement the work of providing STPs by submitting action plans through the deputy commissioners of the district to the director of municipal administration and further acquisitions are planned and procured. Till date proposals for providing STPs from remaining 154 local bodies are not received."

MS Ravi Shankar, commissioner, directorate of municipal administration, said, "I will have to look into the notice and only then comment. (But) I am aware of the cases booked against the CMCs and TMCs."