Jisha Surya
Thiruvananthapuram: Clogging and overflowing of sewerage are nothing new to city dwellers. But, the law which stipulates construction of Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) in all flats still remains on papers. The order issued by Kerala water authority (KWA) in 2008 makes STP mandatory for apartments having 15 flats or above 2000 sq metres total floor area.
Sources in the KWA, who are dealing with the sewage treatment, confessed that despite the rule, only a few high rises in the city which came up after 2008 had stuck to the norm and set up their own STPs. “It is better for them to bribe the officials than spending Rs 10 lakh for an STP. Once they get the connection, there won’t be any harm,” he said.
Interestingly, the sewerage sub-division of KWA at Pattor, which is in charge of sewerage systems in the city, does not have any documents to reveal whether any high rises in the city had either followed or violated the norms. The sewerage connections were granted for flats after the applicant submit a stamp paper, which states that an STP will be constructed in three-months. However, for the past four years, the KWA officials have not checked whether any of the flats in city comply with the norms.
“We have not kept any details of the STPs as there was no follow up on the issue after the issuance of the order five years back. There is no number for sewerage connections, which is one reason for not having records. This year onwards, we plan to introduce numbers for every sewerage connection,” said an official.
The KWA officials admitted that they were aware that several flats had unauthorized sewerage connections, which are extensions of domestic connections. “Some apply for sanction of sewerage connection to one particular block and, later, extend it to other blocks too,” an official said.
It would take Rs 8–15 lakhs to construct an STP, depending on the size of the flat. Flat owners claim that they follow the norms and have STPs in flats constructed after 2008. “Most of the new flats have STPs. However, this order must be revoked in cities like Thiruvananthapuram which have good drainage system,” said secretary general of CREDAI and managing director of SI properties S N Raghuchandran Nair. “We cannot be blamed for government faults. The sewerage treatment plant at Muttattara has not been commissioned yet,” he said.
However, Nair denied that sewerages from flats surpass capacity of existing lines. “The sewerage lines are clogged due to dumping of sanitary napkins, hair, etc. in waste water ,” he said.
However, officials said it was unscientific to dispose of untreated sewerage to drainage. “It is common to see manholes getting overflowed during rainy season. Already the capacity is less. It is a must to construct STPs in flats, according the rules of pollution control board and KWA,” the official said.
Thiruvananthapuram: Clogging and overflowing of sewerage are nothing new to city dwellers. But, the law which stipulates construction of Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) in all flats still remains on papers. The order issued by Kerala water authority (KWA) in 2008 makes STP mandatory for apartments having 15 flats or above 2000 sq metres total floor area.
Sources in the KWA, who are dealing with the sewage treatment, confessed that despite the rule, only a few high rises in the city which came up after 2008 had stuck to the norm and set up their own STPs. “It is better for them to bribe the officials than spending Rs 10 lakh for an STP. Once they get the connection, there won’t be any harm,” he said.
Interestingly, the sewerage sub-division of KWA at Pattor, which is in charge of sewerage systems in the city, does not have any documents to reveal whether any high rises in the city had either followed or violated the norms. The sewerage connections were granted for flats after the applicant submit a stamp paper, which states that an STP will be constructed in three-months. However, for the past four years, the KWA officials have not checked whether any of the flats in city comply with the norms.
“We have not kept any details of the STPs as there was no follow up on the issue after the issuance of the order five years back. There is no number for sewerage connections, which is one reason for not having records. This year onwards, we plan to introduce numbers for every sewerage connection,” said an official.
The KWA officials admitted that they were aware that several flats had unauthorized sewerage connections, which are extensions of domestic connections. “Some apply for sanction of sewerage connection to one particular block and, later, extend it to other blocks too,” an official said.
It would take Rs 8–15 lakhs to construct an STP, depending on the size of the flat. Flat owners claim that they follow the norms and have STPs in flats constructed after 2008. “Most of the new flats have STPs. However, this order must be revoked in cities like Thiruvananthapuram which have good drainage system,” said secretary general of CREDAI and managing director of SI properties S N Raghuchandran Nair. “We cannot be blamed for government faults. The sewerage treatment plant at Muttattara has not been commissioned yet,” he said.
However, Nair denied that sewerages from flats surpass capacity of existing lines. “The sewerage lines are clogged due to dumping of sanitary napkins, hair, etc. in waste water ,” he said.
However, officials said it was unscientific to dispose of untreated sewerage to drainage. “It is common to see manholes getting overflowed during rainy season. Already the capacity is less. It is a must to construct STPs in flats, according the rules of pollution control board and KWA,” the official said.
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