Over 90% of Karnataka’s STPs not functioning, KSPCB flags massive water pollution crisis

KSPCB plans a coordinated enforcement system to monitor every STP in real time as dysfunctional plants continue to pollute rivers and lakes across Karnataka.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has raised a serious alarm over the state’s collapsing sewage treatment infrastructure, revealing that more than 90% of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Karnataka are currently dysfunctional. The failure of these facilities, officials warn, has led to the widespread pollution of rivers, lakes, and waterbodies across Bengaluru and other parts of the state.

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KSPCB chairman P.M. Narendraswamy said that while numerous apartments, industries, and residential layouts are equipped with STPs on paper, most systems remain non-operational due to poor maintenance, lack of oversight, or negligence. He pointed out that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) focuses mainly on developing industrial layouts, while effluent treatment compliance is often ignored, resulting in untreated wastewater flowing into natural water sources.

To counter the growing crisis, the board has proposed forming a joint enforcement team consisting of officials from KSPCB, the Greater Bengaluru Authority, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and KIADB. This team will intensify inspections and take strict action against polluting units.

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Narendraswamy said the board will introduce a centralised monitoring system, where each STP will be assigned a unique code linked to a command centre. Regional officers and the enforcement team will be able to track STP performance virtually in real time, similar to the monitoring of ambient air quality.