Gurugram: Untreated sewage discharge in a condominium in Sector 95 has raised serious environmental and health concerns among residents, who alleged that the society’s sewage treatment plant (STP) has remained non-functional.
Residents of Siddhartha NCR Green society said that the untreated wastewater is being discharged through a pipe from the boundary wall into a vacant plot next to the residential complex for over two years, creating a large pool of contaminated water.
“The area is filled with foul odour and mosquitoes and poses a serious risk of groundwater contamination,” said Ravi Trivedi, a resident.
The NCR One Apartment Owners Association (AOA) had submitted several complaints to the builder and the Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM), with the latest on sent on May 13.
According to the letter, technical inspections conducted by independent agencies flagged major deficiencies in STP, including faults in pumps, blowers, dosing systems and overall treatment efficiency.
“Sample effluent test reports showed that the treated discharge did not meet the prescribed environmental norms and standards,” the letter read.
“We have repeatedly urged the builder to ensure proper maintenance of the STP. The block where I live is closest to the large toxic pond and residents here are the worst affected. We deal with foul smell, mosquito infestation and serious health concerns daily,” said Amit Kumar Budshra, AOA president.
Residents said a MCM team inspected the STP around 10 days back. “However, no action has been taken since and the discharge of untreated sewage water continues unabated,” said Trivedi.
A junior MCM official, who visited the site, told HT that the STP was found to be completely non-functional.
“We have issued a notice to the builder and directed them to restore and maintain the STP within this month.We have also informed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) about the repeated environmental violations,” said Nijesh Kumar, executive engineer at MCM.
Meanwhile, the MCM has been conducting a survey across the city for three months. However, the condominium in question does not figure in the list of defaulters identified by the civic body so far. “A few condos are still left for the survey,” added Kumar.
A team from the HSPCB also conducted an inspection of the STP on Thursday.
Siddhartha Bhargava, regional officer at HSPCB Gurugram South, said it is too early to comment on this. “A team conducted a thorough inspection and took samples. Once the report is obtained, we will take necessary actions,” he said.
