Advertisement
When should a housing society in Mumbai start considering re...
From GST on JDAs to SEBI’s REIT reclassification and the S...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
Several apartment complexes in Bengaluru's Anekal region have come under regulatory scrutiny for discharging untreated sewage into Shikaripalya Lake, prompting action from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). Show-cause notices have been issued to multiple residential associations and an educational institution for failing to install mandated sewage treatment plants (STPs) and obtain regulatory approvals. The violations were identified during inspections conducted in the past few months, with authorities linking the lake's deteriorating condition to direct sewage inflow, rapid urbanisation and inadequate drainage infrastructure. The National Green Tribunal has also directed environmental audits across the lake's catchment. The development highlights growing compliance concerns in high-density residential clusters across Bengaluru's expanding peri-urban zones.
Multiple apartment complexes in the Anekal region of Bengaluru have been issued show-cause notices by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in recent weeks for discharging untreated sewage into Shikaripalya Lake, following inspections that revealed non-compliance with mandatory wastewater management norms. Advertisement
The action covers at least six apartment complexes and one educational institution located within the lake's catchment area. According to the pollution control authority, these developments have not installed sewage treatment plants (STPs), despite regulatory requirements applicable to residential buildings exceeding 20 units or a built-up area of 2,000 sq m. As a result, domestic wastewater is being released into stormwater drains, which ultimately flow into the lake.
Officials indicated that inspections carried out earlier this year found continued violations despite prior directions issued to the developers and resident associations. The KSPCB had previously instructed such properties to obtain consent to operate and install functional STPs. However, subsequent site visits confirmed that the required infrastructure had not been implemented, leading to further regulatory action.
Shikaripalya Lake, spread over nearly 18 acres near Electronics City, has faced recurring environmental stress due to sewage inflow, solid waste dumping and encroachments. Authorities attributed the current deterioration to multiple factors, including rapid urbanisation, changes in land use patterns and the absence of a comprehensive underground drainage system in surrounding areas. These conditions have resulted in untreated wastewater entering the lake through interconnected drains.
The issue has also drawn intervention from the National Green Tribunal, which had taken suo motu cognisance of complaints related to pollution and encroachment in the lake. The tribunal subsequently directed the KSPCB to conduct environmental audits of all buildings within the catchment to verify compliance with sewage treatment norms and ensure proper reuse or disposal of treated water.
Regulatory requirements in Karnataka mandate that large residential complexes and institutional buildings must treat sewage on-site and reuse treated water for non-potable purposes such as landscaping or flushing. The absence of such systems in several developments reflects gaps in enforcement as well as compliance among residential projects in rapidly expanding suburban corridors.
The developments around Shikaripalya Lake are indicative of broader challenges facing Bengaluru's urban infrastructure, where expansion of high-density housing has not always been matched by corresponding investments in drainage and wastewater systems. The city, which historically depended on interconnected lake systems for water management, has seen many such water bodies deteriorate due to untreated sewage inflows and unregulated development.
The ongoing enforcement action is expected to focus on ensuring installation of sewage treatment systems and preventing further discharge into the lake, as authorities seek to contain environmental degradation in one of the city's rapidly urbanising zones.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
