Free run for private sewage treatment plants in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Privately run sewage treatment plants have a free run in Hyderabad. Even though the management of sewage water has major government bodies — including the Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Pollution Control Board, GHMC and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority — as stakeholders, there is no clear database or checking mechanism on these private STPs.

The Environmental Impact Assessment notification of 2006 made it compulsory for project with a built-up area of more than 20,000 square metres to have a sewage treatment plant to treat the waste water it generates. Even apartment complexes, group housing layouts, commercial complexes and hospitals have been told by the Water Board to develop mini-STPs.

The STPs should be monitored for their performance, utilisation and quality of treated water which should confirm to standards set by the Environment (Protection) Act.

However, there is no inventory with any of the government departments as to how many private STPs are located in Hyderabad and Cyberabad and how exactly the treated water is being used.

When approached, Sewerage Board officials, including one at the level of director, had no idea as to which department exactly looks after mini-STPs.

The environment department failed to provide data on how many construction projects had been listed as violating waste water treatment norms.

While government agencies claim everything is okay, a report by the Centre for Science and Environment notes, “Even the existing limit of 20,000 sq metres is violated rampantly as the project proponents seek clearances in phases with each phase being less than 20,000 sq metres and thus dodge environmental clearances.”