Builders and developers, who were struggling to get no-objection certificates (NOC) from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for their projects, can now heave a sigh of relief.
The Board has decided to start issuing NOCs in areas where it supplies Cauvery water. The issuing of NOCs was stopped a while ago owing to water scarcity. However, with the commissioning of the Cauvery IV Stage II Phase drinking water project, the BWSSB has resumed the process.
Speaking to Express, chairman of the BWSSB, M S Ravishankar, said, “We are constituting a committee consisting of senior engineers, who will evaluate each application, and issue NOCs. The committee will also fix charges for providing infrastructure based on the size of the project, water requirements and distance between the site and our pipeline.”
However, BWSSB will not issue NOCs for projects in around 110 villages that were recently added to Bangalore city as it does not supply water to the area.
An NOC is mandatory for every construction project to obtain clearance. Till now, the BWSSB provided NOCs for projects where the builder could prove that arrangements for alternate sources of water had been made. However, recently, this practice was stopped.
For high rises and apartments, builders will have to meet around 24 conditions, including sewage treatment plants for apartments with over 100 units and rainwater harvesting facilities.