Upa Lokayukta slams Nittur STP for lapses; orders suo motu action

Udupi: Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa Friday inspected the Nittur Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and expressed strong dissatisfaction with its mismanagement despite monthly maintenance spending of over Rs 3 lakh. He noted foul odour, poor treatment, and partially untreated water flowing into the sea, and advised filing a suo motu complaint.Although the plant is said to have six purification stages, the discharge of black-coloured water alarmed him. Calling the situation serious, he directed officials to file a negligence case against Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) officer Keerthi Kumar.
Set up in 2010 by KUIDFC, the plant is slated for a Rs 30-crore upgrade. Despite funds being approved, the work has not begun, though municipal officials claimed preliminary work had started. The lack of clear information and coordination frustrated the Upa Lokayukta.Justice Veerappa said inadequately treated water entering the sea forces marine life to ingest chemicals, which in turn harms people who consume seafood. He added that although he had inspected STPs in 18 districts, none were as poorly managed as Udupi's.At the polluted Indrani River, residents, including Indira, told him they had been unable to use well water for years. She said fish cannot survive and many residents suffer from asthma and respiratory issues due to the stench. Justice Veerappa termed the negligence unacceptable.After seeing debris and dead animals along the riverbanks, he instructed port and CRZ officials to clean and maintain the area systematically. He also advised filing a suo motu complaint over the silent release of polluted water into the sea.At the Udupi Taluk office, he and his team found discrepancies across administrative sections and initiated another suo motu complaint. At the sub-registrar's office, after finding private documents in contract workers' bags, he directed officials to file a complaint over lack of proper information and discrepancies in work.He also visited the district hospital, Udupi City Municipality office, KSRTC bus stand in Bannaje, and other locations. Lokayukta Deputy Registrar (Inquiry-1) Aravind NV, ZP CEO Prateek Bayal, and Mangaluru Division Lokayukta SP BP Dinesh Kumar were present.