BENGALURU: After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slapped a Rs 2,900 crore penalty on the Karnataka government in 2022 as compensation for improper waste management, the state decided to recover the amount from the polluters but only Rs 4 crore has been collected so far.
Environment, Forest and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre on Monday said calculating the discharge of untreated sewage into Bellandur and Varthur lakes, the government had issued notices to apartments to compensate for releasing untreated sewage into water bodies.
As per Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) documents, Rs 3 crore each needed to be collected from 58 apartments and Rs 3 lakh each from 122 apartments around Bellandur and Varthur lakes. But so far only Rs 4 crore has been collected.
Khandre said builders and dwellers were passing the buck to each other on paying up the penalties. He said the state government is following the NGT directions wherein it was penalised Rs 3,400 crore in 2022, but was let go with a penalty of Rs 2,900 crore, which the government decided to recover from the polluters.
According to KSPCB, the state generates around 3,000 MLD of wastewater of which 1,457 MLD is untreated. The NGT calculated that it cost Rs 2 crore to treat 1 MLD of wastewater, hence the government needs to recover Rs 2,900 crore from the polluters from across the state.
Khandre said the government has also informed the courts that Rs 500 crore has been set aside with KSPCB for setting up an STP and improving Chandapura Lake. But land is not available. Replying to questions on sewage entering Varthur lake again, Khandre said a thorough long-term solution was needed and that temporary solutions would not work.
Addressing the concerns of setting up landfills on the city outskirts to manage Bengaluru’s waste and of the idea of using forest land for this, Khandre said: “It was only a proposal and nothing was finalised. Forest land and lung spaces need to be protected. It will be discussed with the chief minister.”
STREAMLINING ISSUE OF LICENCE FOR INDUSTRIES
To streamline the process of issuing licences for setting up industries, Khandre said a timeline has been set for KSPCB officials. He said green category industries should be given clearances within 30 days, orange category industries within 45 days and red category industries (highly polluting like cement) within three months. He said a committee will also be formed to monitor the process and ensure there are no anomalies.
GREEN CRACKERS
Khandre was speaking to the media after a review meeting with KSPCB officials on green crackers. He said the government would strictly implement the Supreme Court orders on permitting only green crackers. He said cases will be booked against those manufacturing, selling, transporting and storing other crackers, as per the Environment and Air Acts. He said mere rules do not work, and for stern implementation, cooperation from all the stakeholders is needed.
