BENGALURU: While a team of residents has been fighting to rectify alleged violations by an apartment complex at Budigere, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has been maintaining that no violations are taking place.
The residents allege that untreated sewage water is being directed to nearby waterbodies, while dirty water is being pumped to be reused to flush toilets. After an investigation and hearing at Prestige Tranquility in August, KSPCB stated that there are no violations.
However, as per previous investigations done by both KSPCB and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), violations that the residents had pointed out were present.
The copy of the proceedings was received by Prema Mistry, the complainant and a resident, only last month. "There are no violations at the apartments. They’ve installed CCTV cameras as well as real-time monitoring (RTMs) and are treating water properly," KSPCB Mahadevapura Regional Officer DP Mahendra told The New Indian Express.
The residents, however, alleged that foul play is going on. "If the RTM readings are within norms, why are we still getting black water in our toilets," asked Mistry. KSPCB visited the apartments last week for an investigation. "I showed the officer multiple violations, including illegal pipe connections that were sending sewage to the stormwater drain. He took multiple water samples to check if the water was treated," said Mistry.
She and a group of residents have been highlighting the violations for years. "Action must be taken against the builders, because without proper sewage treatment plants and other amenities, they illegally handed over the project to the apartment association," she alleged.
Mistry alleged that after her complaint, she is being harassed by association members. "When I approached the Karnataka State Commission for Women, they said I was raising complaints only because I was not elected to the association," she said.
"Complaints are being filed by people with personal interest and it's wasting the time of government officials. The apartments are running perfectly with no violations," said Syed Khaja, senior environmental officer at KSPCB.