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All civic bodies must have treatment plants: KSPCB

Wednesday, 01 December 2010 09:35 administrator
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The Hindu  01.12.2010

All civic bodies must have treatment plants: KSPCB

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Tuesday submitted to the Karnataka High Court that civic bodies must set up sewage treatment plants and that no exception could be made in respect of any of them.

The KSPCB made this statement when it was hearing petitions by two civic bodies challenging the registration of a criminal case by the KSPCB against its chief officers.

The civic bodies said the KSPCB had named the Chief Officer in the complaint before the local court and a criminal case, therefore, came to be registered against them.

They urged the court to quash the criminal case.

Defending the action, the KSPCB said it had registered criminal cases against chief officers of municipalities wherever these bodies had been discharging municipal waste or sewerage into water bodies.

Consent

It said civic bodies must obtain its consent under the Water Act before discharging any waste into water bodies.

Moreover, the civic bodies could not cite paucity of funds for their failure to set up treatment plants. It said the Water Act and other provisions mandated that each civic body must set up treatment plants so that the waste and sewerage was treated.

The petitioners contended that the chief officers did not have power on their own to ensure that the civic body took up construction of treatment plants.

They said the financial powers of the chief officers was limited to sanctioning money under Rs. 500 and any amount above that must have the consent of the council.

Justice B. Sreenivase Gowda adjourned further hearing of the case.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 December 2010 09:36
 

KMC puts eatery on notice for tree poisoning

Friday, 26 November 2010 10:41 administrator
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The Times of India          26.11.2010

KMC puts eatery on notice for tree poisoning

KOLKATA: Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Thursday issued a notice to a food court owner on Syed Amir Ali Avenue for allegedly poisoning three sirish trees to death.

These trees were killed over the last six months, an investigation by KMC parks department revealed. The first tree was poisoned in May this year. Though a KMC team went to the spot and warned the food court owner, two more trees were poisoned in the same manner in last month, say sources. This time, KMC decided to send the management of the food court a notice seeking an explanation.

Debasish Kumar, MMiC parks department, told TOI that the owner of the food court was bound to give a reply on the mystery of the dead trees. What action will the KMC take? "Let us wait for their reply. If we are not satisfied, we may lodge an FIR with police," Kumar said.

KMC also has the right to revoke the trade licence of the food court. In 2001, the civic authorities had scrapped the trade licence of a well known restaurant on Sarat Bose Road after investigation proved that it had chopped down a full grown tree simply because the tree was blocking the view of the restaurant. "As a punitive step, we withdrew the trade license granted to the restaurant authorities for six months. After the restaurant tendered an unconditional apology, we lifted the ban," a senior official of the KMC parks department said.

In this case, a preliminary investigation by KMC revealed that the sirish trees had been poisoned. "We have received complaints and serious feedback on the killing of these trees from local residents. We are keeping the identities of the complainants a secret," an official said.

Environmentalists and green activists came down heavily on KMC for failing to protect the trees. "It is a crime to kill trees simply because they are obstructing the view of a food court," said environmentalist Banani Kakkar. "The civic authorities need to wake up and take stringent action against the offenders and set an example."

Green activist Mukuta Mukherjee also demands exemplary action against the owner of the food court. "Nobody has given them the right to kill trees. This is a criminal offence and needs to be dealt with accordingly," Mukherjee said.

 

Simple solutions will save Jayamahal's 856 trees

Thursday, 25 November 2010 09:52 administrator
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The Times of India               25.11.2010

Simple solutions will save Jayamahal's 856 trees

BANGALORE: One of the most beautiful avenues in Bangalore, the Jayamahal main road, can retain its character, charm and critically, the 856 trees, if BBMP were to look at other options like signal synchronisation, junction improvement or even grade separators, say urban planners.

Jayamahal main road has hit the headlines recently because of protests from citizens about the government's decision to fell hundreds of trees to widen the road, all in the name of easing traffic congestion. It's being pointed out that the problem essentially lies at the two ends of the road at the junctions, hence it makes no sense to chop trees, if solutions can be found to ease congestion at the two ends.

The trees on the road sport signs saying, "Please don't kill me please," with last weekend witnessing a public meeting and formation of human chain to protest against road widening on 5 km of Bellary Road and Jaymahal main road. So far trees have been left alone. But there's no guarantee that won't face the axe in the near future.

"The project's still under consideration. A final decision is likely to be taken after a detailed inspection by the chairman of BBMP town planning and major works committees that's likely to happen anytime this week,'' the local corporator N K Gunasekhar told TOI.

Has the protest triggered BBMP to re-think? Not yet. The chairmen of the BBMP standing committees concerned who attended the public meet agreed to give a date to discuss the alternatives but didn't promise to stop work.

H Ravindra, chairman of BBMP major works committee, also makes it very clear that"there's no reconsideration about this project in progress. We have not got any direction from the government to stop it. Those protesting against it are only a few. We should also consider the lakhs of people affected by the traffic congestion here.''

As for the trees being cut, he said, "We have already initiated planting 10,000 sapplings along the stretch. The widening process will take atleast 18 months by which the saplings will have grown considerably.''

Adding to the confusion was his last line, "However, the final inspection will happen as promised to the people but definitely not this week. No trees will be chopped till then but other works related to the project will continue.''

The main problem with the project is that most related works have already begun and are at various stages of progression. The inner wall of the palace has already been demolished and reconstructed in most places. According to BBMP sources, the works had started even before the approval from the state government that landed just two-three weeks back. The lack of transparency is another worry. Even the detailed project report for the Bellary Road widening has nothing more than overall figures.

Voices of protest

"We are not against development. The road really doesn't need to be widened cutting 856 trees. Only two junctions are a problem as the signals very often don't work properly there. Hold off for sometime and consider the alternatives. Most projects are taken up without any planning or public consultation.''

-- Sania Khan, a resident for 15 years

"Why cut so many trees and widen the road when we have other feasible alternatives? What about grade separators at the problem junctions here? We will not allow it to happen. We will hold another protest in the same place if they don't keep up their promise to reconsider.''

__ Preran Choudhary, Wild Forever Foundation (WFF)

HERE ARE THE SOLUTIONS

"Widening Jayamahal main road, in my opinion, should not pose much trouble as there are not many people living on this road. However, the trees along this road are sure a concern and must be carefully dealt with. The BBMP must re-examine the project closely. If required, also look at other alternatives like junction improvement and better signal management.''

__ A Ravindra, adviser to CM on urban affairs

"Our biggest fear about this project is that nothing is clear. Is this road widening essential? Why not look at other alternatives like signal synchronisation, first? For 30,000 people going to airport, should we cut down 856 trees on this road?''

__ Vinay Srinivas, Hasiru Usiru

"All road-widening projects should be put on hold till there is greater clarity on what is the holistic solution for city. We cannot look at isolated stretches. There is no city widening plan. The larger plan should have elements of public and private transport. They should freeze arbitrary road widening projects. City planners should put out what is the city-wide plan for traffic and mobility. Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) should be the integrator agency."

__ V Ravichandar, Chairman, Feedback Consulting

 
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