STPs to become mandatory for big housing complexes in city

KOLKATA: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) decided to make Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) mandatory for all big housing complexes in the city. Setting up of compactor for the purpose of solid waste management will also be mandatory for these housing complexes.

"Drainage clearance will be issued to housing complexes spread over an area of 2 lakh square feet only when they will have their own STP and compactor. The concerned authorities of the housing complexes will have to inform us as to which company has handed over the responsibility for maintenance of that STP," Firhad Hakim, Chairman of Board of Administrators, KMC said after the Board of Administrators' meeting.

The KMC will also examine properly whether it will allow such a big housing complex to use underground water or if it has to execute a project of water recycling. Accordingly, sanction of use of water will be granted to that particular housing.

The Board of Administrators has also approved a proposal of open defecation-free Kolkata. Over 400 pay and use toilets have come up in the city and over 40 night shelters with toilet facilities have come up.

"However, at some places beside canals, there are some open toilets existing in the city. The ward coordinators have been asked to prepare a list of such open toilets and submit the same before us so that we can replace them," Swapan Samaddar, Member Board of Administrators (BOA) in-charge of Environment department of KMC said.

Hakim said some of the pay and use toilets were lying unused because of disruption in water connection, electricity or similar issues.

"We have asked concerned officials to make a list of such unused toilets and place it at the next BOA meeting in July so that we can do the needful," added Hakim.