Pollution board makes STP compliance a pricey affair

Pollution board makes STP compliance a pricey affair

Charges for obtaining consent for establishment and operation for sewage treatment plants at apartment complexes hiked to between Rs 2,000-10 lakh

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) recently issued a circular with revised charges for obtaining consent for establishment (CFE) and consent for operation (CFO) for apartment complexes that ought to have sewage treatment plants (STPs). The annual fees vary between Rs 2,000 and Rs 10 lakh, covering both standalone and integrated projects. Now, residents are wondering why the regulatory body is charging apartment owners for compliance.

The circular, which follows a government notification issued in November last year, is applicable for all STPs including the BWSSB-owned plants and private ones operated by apartments, hospitals, IT parks and others. While the CFE is a one-time charge, the KSPCB will levy fees for obtaining CFO annually, followed by an inspection of the plant.

As per the revised charges, apartment complexes that comprise fewer than 14 houses are expected to pay Rs 2,000 for obtaining the consent for operation, annually. The charges for apartments with 15 to 71 houses and 72 to 140 houses are Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. Bigger apartments have to shell out more. Apartment complexes with 141 to 429 houses have to pay Rs 50,000.

The annual charges for integrated projects are almost double as compared to standalone apartments. Integrated projects are the ones that comprise two or more components such as residential, commercial, hotel, education institutions, hospital, club, mall and others. "If the CFO is rejected by KSPCB, the proponent has to pay the CFO once again when he or she re-applies," the order states.