GURUGRAM: More than 300 real estate and commercial projects in the city have failed to install the mandatory analysers on their sewage treatment plants (STPs).
Documents obtained through the RTI Act reveal this includes several prominent group housing societies, IT parks, and shopping malls.
STP analysers are essential for an environmental management system, providing real-time data on critical parameters such as pH levels, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), to ensure wastewater treatment complies with discharge standards.
The list, revealed by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) in response to an RTI request from local resident Aseem Takyaar, indicates that only 32 projects have installed the required analysers. According to a subsequent list shared by the HSPCB, 305 developers, builders, and colonisers did not meet the requirement for online monitoring systems for STP discharged water quality as of May 12.
An HSPCB official stated, “There is currently no provision for physical surveys to ensure the installation of STP analysers.” Environmental advocates argue this data highlights significant and ongoing failures in regulatory enforcement.
Environmentalist Vivek Kamboj remarked, “The absence of analysers raises serious concerns about the functionality of STPs. In areas lacking a sewer network, improperly treated sewage could be entering stormwater drains or contaminating groundwater.”
In their response, the HSPCB confirmed that installing analysers in STPs is a requirement under environmental clearance rules. However, many developers have neglected to comply. “We rely on self-reported compliance and third-party audits, but the lack of physical verification presents a gap that we are currently addressing. Appropriate measures will be taken against those operating without the required consent or monitoring systems,” an HSPCB official assured.
Both Haryana’s building regulations and the ministry of environment’s project clearance guidelines mandate that developers not only install analysers but also connect them to the state pollution board’s online monitoring system. Experts have pointed out the critical lack of regulatory oversight. Research associate Shubhansh Tiwari from CSE stated, “If the board isn’t conducting field inspections, how can they ensure STPs are operational? Compliance should not solely depend on paperwork.”
