High-rises under PCB scanner
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While the Pollution Control Board's move to tighten the screws on sewage treatment by high-rise buildings will help reduce the load of untreated sewage in urban areas, it has thrown up a few issues, as Renu Ramanath finds out.
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NO TREATMENT: Untreated sewage is fast becoming a public health problem, given the kind of urban growth we are witnessing these days.
Sewage treatment is a big problem facing urban areas these days. As multi-storeyed, high-rise buildings start mushrooming everywhere, the management of waste and sewage from them poses a public problem.
To tackle this issue, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has now come out with a new stipulation requiring its mandatory clearance for getting building permits from local bodies.
The Act dealing with this stipulation was formulated early this year, but it was in May 2006 that the PCB decided to go strict about it and the gazette notification was issued. However, the PCB had passed it back in 2004. It was there in the PCB's minutes, but nobody knew it. According to the new rule, all buildings that are classified as high-rises, which mean all buildings with ground plus three floors, will need sewage treatment plants.
Builders' grouse
However, the builders point out that the residents' associations of the buildings, which were completed earlier, were also now receiving notices for installing the treatment plants.
While the building industry as a whole welcomes the move, they are quick to point out some anomalies in the rule that causes suffering to the residents of such buildings. "We feel that such a system is required," says Mathen Chakola, president of the Kerala Builders' Forum (KBF), "especially since we don't have an effective public sewerage system here."
But, the problem lies with the classification of the residential buildings with industries, points out Mr. Chakola. The residential buildings are viewed as industries, and exorbitant fees are charged for getting this clearance certificate. "The norms have been fixed as that of an industry," points out Mr. Chakola.
Residents burdened
The burden, ultimately, falls on the residents' associations, which are required to submit an application for renewal of the certificate every three years. The associations will have to dole out around Rs.50,000 every three years to meet the fee expense. Already, the associations are said to be collecting hefty sums to meet various expenses, including the charges for water, operating elevators and stand-by generators. And the monthly charges are quite hefty. The responsibility of the builder ends with the completion of the construction. The remaining maintenance is usually done by the residents' associations.
Not only the sewage treatment, but also the use of the generator is also included under this law. The concept is to check the pollution created by the use of the generators to the surrounding places.
However, the builders point out that most of them have been following this rule for some time, though it was not mandatory. Besides, it is not yet given in the Kerala Municipal Building Rules. So, the Corporation cannot insist upon it even now.
More paperwork
Lalichan Zacharias, chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects, Kerala chapter, points out that this would lead to the addition of one more agency from which papers for the building permit need to be obtained. He feels that one agency, say the Corporation, should handle all clearances.
"Otherwise, we do not have any objection to this feature, as it is highly necessary in the modern environment," he says. But, already, two or three agencies are involved in the processing of the building permit. If you are building near airport, you have to get the clearance from Chennai. Fire-fighting clearance is needed.
Another anomaly with the present law pointed out by various persons involved in the construction sector is that the fee was fixed based on the project cost, not on the number of persons using the building. This needs to be changed, as this complicates matters. A chartered accountant's service is required. Besides, the project cost usually includes the expenditure for interior designing and other expenses as well. Considering this amount as a parameter for fixing the fee is highly inappropriate, it is pointed out.
The Kerala Builders' Forum is planning to approach the Government with a representation that these conditions in the rule should be reconsidered. "The present rule has been framed solely suiting the industries," says Mr. Chakola. This is highly unfair, say the builders.
Environmental clearance
Another requirement that has been introduced recently pertains to the need for obtaining environmental clearance for projects costing more than Rs.50 crore. However, Kochi does not come under the ambit this rule as it is concerned with cities with a population of more than one million. Otherwise, the project cost has to exceed Rs.50 crores. In Mumbai and Bangalore, where projects with such costs are almost the norm, the law is applicable.
The builders in Mumbai and Bangalore are now approaching the Government with a request to raise the ceiling to Rs.100 crores.
This law has been enacted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Union Government.
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