Karnataka government relaxes rules, STP not must for apartments with less than 120 units

Bengaluru: In a big relief to residents of small apartments and builders, the state government has removed the clause making STP mandatory for buildings up to 120 residential units in areas serviced by sewer lines.

Till now, all apartment buildings with more than 20 residential units had to build and maintain a sewage treatment plant (STP), as per the rules issued In 2016.

In an amended notification issued on Tuesday, the Environment Department relaxed the rule for buildings with up to 120 units located in areas provided with sewer lines and STP run by the urban local bodies.

The relaxation was also extended to school, commercial complexes, office buildings, units for IT related activities with a total built up area of up to 5000 square meter and generating more than 35 kld sewage located in areas serviced by ULBs.

The notification said that the projects that have already installed STP prior to the amended notification "may continue to operate/manage the STP as per the parametres prescribed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and shall reuse/recycle or discharge the sewage into the drainage system after obtaining prior permission from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and with intimation to the KSPCB in writing".

STP must in outskirts

However, the amended rules are not applicable for buildings in the outskirts of the ULBs, including Bengaluru, that are not equipped with sewer lines and STPs.

STP will be mandatory for all residential and group housing projects with more than 20 units, educational and commercial projects spread over 2000 square meter.

The decision comes days after the Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister held a meeting with the apartment welfare associations and other stakeholders to understand the prevailing issues in the wake of the water crisis.