Apartment, villa owners to approach govt. seeking exemption from setting up STPs

The Consortium of Flat and Villa Owners Association Kerala (COFVOAK) is set to approach the State government seeking an exemption from setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs), which entail an investment ranging between ₹15 lakh and ₹30 lakh, and instead to dispose of effluents at common STPs.

The association cites the proposed new central sewerage network, likely to be commissioned in two years to cater to the requirements of Kochi city, while seeking exemption from making such a huge investment, which it claims would go waste once the network becomes operational.

The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on August 12 issued notices to 71 apartments without STPs to give an undertaking by August 16 to set up the facility. Separately, Kerala State Electricity Board Limited also issued notices to the apartment owners to comply with the KSPCB direction or face power disconnection.

“We request at least a month’s time to file our response to the KSPCB notice since office-bearers of associations hardly have any expertise in STPs. We have been given a list of 13 Centrally-accredited agencies for installing STPs. But they follow different technologies and we have no clue which to follow,” said Saju Thomas, chairman, COFVOAK.

At present, Kochi has two common STPs – Kerala Water Authority’s 5 million litres per day STP at Elamkulam and the Greater Cochin Development Authority’s 750 kilo litres per day facility at Kaloor. Another common STP has been proposed at Vennala.

KSPCB sources said that it was for the High Court to take a call on COFVOAK’s proposal to dispose off effluents by tanker at common STPs rather than setting up own STPs. KSPCB has not officially extended the date for submitting undertaking about STPs. “When the case comes up for hearing on September 11, we will have to report the apartment complexes, which are yet to comply with the directive,” said sources.

As of now, only very few out of the 71 apartment complexes have initiated measures for setting up STPs. “Most of those apartments were constructed post-2007 when STPs became mandatory. Most of the apartment complexes constructed before 2007 hardly have the space for STPs. Besides, each owner will have to shell out around ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 for STPs, which, in the present circumstances, is a hard task when even monthly subscriptions are hard to come by. The majority of the apartments are also occupied by tenants and approaching owners itself is a task,” said M. Thomas Kadavan, treasurer, COFVOAK.