Deccan Herald                 19.07.2013

Siddu sets terms for new flats

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on
Thursday that the State Government would issue “no-objection
certificates” (NOCs) to new apartments in the city only if there “is a
water source” identified by promoters of the property.

Replying
to a question by Janata Dal-Secular leader M Srinivas during the
question hour in the Legislative Council, the chief minister said he
would instruct Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) not to issue NOCs or sanction
plans unless there was assured water source.

A developer of a
property has to obtain NOCs from the Fire Department, BBMP and BWSSB
before the construction of the building begins. The BBMP also has to
approve the building plan.

Srinivas said apartments had
mushroomed in and around the City. “Most of them don’t have water
sources,” he said. The BWSSB was unable to supply water to these
apartments.

Siddaramaiah said 2,553 apartments (26, 342 flats) had
been permitted in the BBMP’s eight zones since 2011. Despite stringent
regulations, these apartments “are dependent mostly on ground water.
This is the reason for the depleting ground water table,” he said.

Siddaramaiah said the BBMP and the BWSSB would be directed to conduct an inspection before issuing the NOCs.

The
member said promoters were not making any effort to implement rain
water harvesting (RWH). The chief minister said he would direct the
authorities to ensure the implementation of RWH as the BWSSB norms “say
that any group housing above 100 houses should compulsorily have a water
treatment plant as well as RWH to get an NOC.”

The chief
minister said there were several proposals before the government to
ensure adequate water supply to the city. “The water scarcity for
Bangalore is a matter of concern. The government is exploring all
possibilities to get more water to the City from other sources,” he
said. A committee of technical experts was appointed  in 2010 to explore
the possibility of meeting Bangalore’s water requirements. Three years
ago, when Katta Subramanya Naidu was the BWSSB minister, he had
announced that no water connection would be given to new buildings, as
there was scarcity of water.

The panel of nine experts had made
several recommendations,  including drawing of 30 tmc from the
Linganamakki hydel power station reservoir and diversion of 100 to 250
MLD of treated water from the Vrishabavathi valley to the catchment area
of Thippagondanahalli, diversion of five tmc water to T G Halli and
“education of people” regarding water conservation and reduction in
unaccounted water to save about 4 tmc water.

The chief minister
said the government would come out with a comprehensive development plan
(CDP) to check the unwieldy growth of Bangalore City. The BMRDA had
prepared a draft CDP. But the CDP was sent back, seeking some
clarifications.  Siddaramaiah said the CDP should have been ready five
years ago. But the previous government did not pay attention. Once the
plan was ready, objections from the public would be invited. Janata
Dal-Secular member Naniah, too, urged the chief minister to check the
growth of the City.