Pollution board issues STP norms

BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has released guidelines for the design and location of sewage treatment plants (STPs). It has also made it mandatory for apartments and commercial complexes to install STPs. Soon after the guidelines were issued on March 1, many citizens raised complaints and expressed apprehension about the new set of rules. Some also stated that as it is, they are finding it difficult to adhere to the existing guidelines and install STPs, and the new guidelines will only make matters worse.

Board officials spent the entire Tuesday explaining to those raising objections that the rules are not new. KSPCB member-secretary Srinivasalu told The New Indian Express that “no new guidelines have been issued”. Instead, all the existing orders pertaining to STPs have been compiled into one, he added. According to the guidelines, the approved technologies for the STPs are activated sludge process, sequential batch reactor, membrane bio-reactor and moving bed bio-reactor. 

The guidelines also mandated that the STPs should be located preferably under the driveway, club house, play area and as far as possible away from the apartment complex. The STP should not be located in the basement of any flat of an apartment complex. Access of the STP should be from the ground level and not the basement. Mechanical ventilation must be provided and the exhaust should be terminated at the terrace level. .