KOCHI: The KSEB has served power disconnection notices to eight apartment complexes situated along the banks of Thevara-Perandoor Canal yet again. Acting upon the direction of the Pollution Control Board (PCB), KSEB has warned the owners of apartment complexes that power will be disconnected within seven days from October 7, for failure to install sewage treatment plants (STP) on their premises.
The KSEB had earlier served disconnection notices on 71 apartment complexes along the banks of the Thevara-Perandoor Canal at the end of July. Following this, the apartment authorities had got the deadline extended. While many apartments started STP construction immediately, many were left out without enough space or financial viability to set up STPs.
Two weeks ago, the apartment owners had filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court challenging the KSEB move, following which the court appointed a four-member high-level committee to study the issue, and explore the possibility of setting up a centralised STP network as suggested in the PIL.
The court had asked the high-level committee to submit the report by October 27. “The PCB is harassing us when the issue is under the consideration of the court. The notice is random and illogical,” said Siddharthan, a resident of Mayura apartments, Kadavanthra, who received the notice on Wednesday. The apartment complex built in 1996 has only 12 flats and was built following all prevailing regulations and obtaining all clearances.
“There is no land available here for constructing an STP which will cost between Rs 40 to 50 lakh. Management of waste is the responsibility of the state, and it has to be dealt with by the authorities and not citizens in their individual capacity,” he added.
Advocate Jacob Mathew Manalil, who appears for the apartment owners in the Public Interest Litigation filed in the Kerala High Court said that the PCB is harassing apartment owners. “This is pure harassment from the side of authorities and the move is not going to resolve the issue in any way. There is no action against major pollutants like housing colonies all along the canal and hotels and restaurants,” he said.
At the same time, the PCB officials said that the new notice has only been sent to apartments that did not respond to the first one. “The new notice has been sent to the apartment owners who have not submitted the mandatory affidavits. The issue will be dealt with according to rules,” said the PCB chief engineer in Ernakulam.
