CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has directed the district administrations to ensure that lorries transporting untreated sewage be confiscated and case registered against those operating them.

In Tiruvallur district, nine lorries were seized that were found to be emptying untreated sewage into water bodies rather than taking it to the Common Sewage Treatment Plants (STP).

Sources in the TNPCB told IANS that in Madurai, Tiruchi, Salem, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Chennai, several lorries that transport untreated sewage were detained and sealed.

The TNPCB has also made it mandatory that even buildings that are less than 20000 sq ft in construction area must obtain the consent from thr PCB to establish and operate a sewage treatment plant.

The crackdown and new directive follows several complaints received from across the state that Sewage Treatment Plants are not properly operated and that untreated sewage was discharged into storm water drains, vacant land and nearby waterbodies leading to pollution.

The TNPCB has also directed all the residential associations to apply for getting clearance for the Sewage Treatment Plant and the consent has to be periodically renewed.

It may be noted that the TNPCB has been receiving complaints from across the state from individuals and social organizations regarding the open dumping of untreated sewage this polluting water bodies across the state l.

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