Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu pollution control board (TNPCB) has submitted a report before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding a sewage treatment plant set up by a leading real estate developer at a gated community in Vellanaipatti in Annur, flouting environmental norms.
Though the board had declined permission to operate the 125 KLD plant from June, 30, 2017 after receiving complaints from residents, it is being operated without proper license, the report said.
The plant was constructed on the open space reserve (OSR) land of the layout, which has 126 sites, without following guidelines and as a result, residents complained of foul smell, loud noise and water pollution, the report said.
TNPCB officials inspected the plant on February 8 and submitted status report before the Tribunal on February 11.
The officials found that the unit pumped raw sewage from collection-cum-equalization tank without any treatment using flexible hoses, the report said. “The settling tank was not revamped and not provided with an observation platform. In settling tank and filter feed tank, carryover biosludge was found floating, which indicates inefficient operation and maintenance of STP. The unit has not log books. Even though it has provided two sludge drying beds, no sludge was present. The unit has not provided dual piping system to reuse the treated water for toilet flushing and it has provided provision of fresh water pipe to dilute treated water in the final treated water tank. It is constructed below the ground level and the ground water seepage is observed inside the plant.”
Petitioner C P Senthil blamed the board for allowing to function the plant without license. “As per norms, STPs should not be set up in a DTCP approved layout for individual houses.”
Recently, a show-cause notice was issued to the developer, asking why the board should not levy a penalty and recover environmental compensation worth Rs 2.51 crore as suggested by the joint committee and Rs 20,000 per day for non-compliance from August 19, 2020.