Bengaluru: Large apartment communities across the state, including Bengaluru, have been given 15 days to comply with pollution-control norms and make their sewage treatment plants (STPs) fully operational, failing which they could face criminal action.Industrial clusters have been given three to six months to comply, as govt steps up its crackdown on sewage discharge and pollution of lakes, rivers and other waterbodies. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), during a review of pollution levels in the state Monday, fixed deadlines for apartment communities and industrial areas to install and operationalise STPs.Environment and ecology minister Ramalinga Reddy, who reviewed the functioning of KSPCB, directed officials to inspect apartment complexes and initiate criminal proceedings against those found violating pollution-control norms.“The city gets 2,000 MLD of water daily and around 1,800 MLD sewage is released every day. While we treat and discharge 1,200 MLD, another 600 MLD is being let into waterbodies without treatment. We have found that in many apartments, STPs have been dysfunctional for several years. A few STPs owned by BWSSB are also out of order. I’ve directed officials to issue notices to such apartments and the BWSSB chairperson to repair and restore defunct units,” Reddy said.Apartment communities with more than 80 units are required to set up STPs on their premises and treat wastewater. “As per our reports, more than 500 apartments have violated norms and many have stopped operating existing STP units. As there is no exact data on these apartments, we’ve asked scientific officers to survey buildings with more than 80 units and check STP operation records,” the minister said.Industrial layoutsReddy said only a small fraction of industrial layouts developed by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) have operational STPs. “Of 187 industrial layouts developed by KIADB across Karnataka, only 11 have STPs. As per the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and National River Conservation Plan, Karnataka is trying to reduce air and water pollution, with a focus on industrial areas. Hence, I’ve directed the KSPCB member-secretary to serve a notice on KIADB and give it three to six months to set up STPs in these industrial layouts or operationalise the existing ones,” Reddy said.Reality show shoot under KSPCB scannerWith the new season of a popular Kannada reality show set to begin in less than a week, its shooting at Jollywood Studio in Bidadi has hit an environmental hurdle. KSPCB has threatened to halt operations, citing violations and failure to obtain mandatory consent.Minister Ramalinga Reddy Monday said the studio can’t continue shooting without complying with environmental norms. He said a KSPCB inspection in 2025 found the studio lacked a functional STP, resulting in sewage being discharged into open drains. Garbage was dumped near the plant, while large diesel generators were used without authorisation.“Neither the studio nor the promoters have applied for consent till date. If they want to resume shooting, they must obtain permission from the board,” the minister added.
