KSPCB hikes consent fee for projects

BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has hiked the annual consent fee (registration fee) paid by all infrastructure projects. It is likely to come into immediate effect.   The revision was notified in the gazette on November 11, 2020, but was officially intimated to  the Pollution Control Board only on January 4, 2021, said a top official. “We are now taking legal opinion as well as holding talks with the government whether to bring it in with retrospective effect from the day of notification, or after KSPCB issues a circular.” 

The rules are now called the Karnataka State Board for the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution (Procedure for Transaction of Business) and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) (Amendment) Rules, 2020.Unlike in the past when the cost of the project determined the hike, the quantity of sewage generated by each building is the determining factor in fixing the cost. The hike has been effected for houses, apartments, commercial complexes, office buildings, layouts, educational institutions, townships and local bodies, as per the gazette notification. KSPCB member secretary Srinivasulu told TNIE, “This is the first time since 1998 that we have effected an increase in the fee. This was long due.”

Chairman Vijaykumar Gogi said, “KSPCB had enough reserves to sustain us, so we did not hike it periodically, like that done by other organisations. However, we have now reached a stage where we need to generate revenue to maintain our independence and autonomy. Hence, we decided on the hike to sustain the Board.”

The fee has been hiked, but comparison with the past cannot be made in percentage terms as the yardstick was completely different, said senior environmental officer Syed Khaja.Projects have been classified into Green, Orange and Red, depending on the amount of sewage generated by each unit, with Red being STPs with maximum and Green with minimum capacity, and Orange falling in the medium category. Industrial units which were approached for their comment on the issue, said had not heard of the hike.