BENGALURU: Ahead of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) deadline to complete work on the commissioning of a sewage treatment plant (STP) in the catchment area of Chandapura Lake, off Electronic City in Eastern parts of Bengaluru, the state government on Wednesday asked the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to expedite the work and complete installation of STP by December 2024.The NGT had imposed Rs 500 crore environmental compensation on the state government in October 2022 for failing to maintain the Chandapura Lake.
Reviewing the compliance works in the catchment areas, Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to issue a notice to the BDA to FastTrack the work on building STP in the vicinity of the lake. “Officials must ensure that all sewage and effluent from the neighbouring catchment area shall not be let into the lake and all of it has to be treated at the STP. The restoration works required the acquisition of 9.36 acres of land in Jigani, Bommasandra, Hebbagodi and Chandapura village limits. BDA must expedite the land acquisition process,” the minister instructed the KSPCB officials.
Referring to the Rs 500 Crore environmental compensation which is kept as a deposit by the state government, the minister said, “Out of the Rs 500 crore deposit, about Rs 340 Crore can be utilized to set up four STPs in the region.”
Recovery of Rs 141 Crore penalty pending
The catchment of Chandapura Lake is spread over 9,839 hectares. “A total of 543 industries are in the catchment area and out of these 206 industries generate effluents. As per the field assessment and studies, about 54 companies are discharging hazardous effluents and all of them have been served with notices. In fact, 12 industries have been closed and the government is yet to recover Rs 141 crore penalty from these closed down industries,” explained an Urban Development department official.
Expressing shock over the pending arrears of penalty, Minister Khandre directed the officials to conduct a third-party audit of all industries and recover the Rs 141 crore pending penalty. “If any company fails to pay up, bank accounts of such companies will be attached,” the minister directed. He also called for strict action against apartment complexes and industries that are directly releasing wastewater into stormwater drains and lakes without treatment.
Reviewing the compliance works in the catchment areas, Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to issue a notice to the BDA to FastTrack the work on building STP in the vicinity of the lake. “Officials must ensure that all sewage and effluent from the neighbouring catchment area shall not be let into the lake and all of it has to be treated at the STP. The restoration works required the acquisition of 9.36 acres of land in Jigani, Bommasandra, Hebbagodi and Chandapura village limits. BDA must expedite the land acquisition process,” the minister instructed the KSPCB officials.
Referring to the Rs 500 Crore environmental compensation which is kept as a deposit by the state government, the minister said, “Out of the Rs 500 crore deposit, about Rs 340 Crore can be utilized to set up four STPs in the region.”
Recovery of Rs 141 Crore penalty pending
The catchment of Chandapura Lake is spread over 9,839 hectares. “A total of 543 industries are in the catchment area and out of these 206 industries generate effluents. As per the field assessment and studies, about 54 companies are discharging hazardous effluents and all of them have been served with notices. In fact, 12 industries have been closed and the government is yet to recover Rs 141 crore penalty from these closed down industries,” explained an Urban Development department official.
Expressing shock over the pending arrears of penalty, Minister Khandre directed the officials to conduct a third-party audit of all industries and recover the Rs 141 crore pending penalty. “If any company fails to pay up, bank accounts of such companies will be attached,” the minister directed. He also called for strict action against apartment complexes and industries that are directly releasing wastewater into stormwater drains and lakes without treatment.