Sewage from a few buildings, including apartment complexes, at Marine Drive is being drained into the Kochi backwaters, according to an amicus curie report on Marine Drive beautification case.
Some apartments near the Chinese fishing net bridge neither had treatment plants nor were using the facility offered by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) for the treatment of sewage. The only option available for them was to drain the sewage to the lake, the report said.
The authority said that as many as 54 buildings had been granted sanction under the master plan of the Cochin Marine Drive scheme, which included commercial as well as residential apartments. According to pollution control norms, every building above a certain built-up area must have its own sewage treatment facility. If the buildings do not have their own sewage treatment plants, they will have to drain sewage to the plant operated by the GCDA after paying a fee. The authority said that only nine buildings in the Marine Drive area had been using its facility, according to the report.
Large pipes are seen protruding into the lake from buildings in many areas across the Marine Drive walkway. Moreover, foul smell of toilet waste emanates from near the walkway, said the report submitted to the Kerala High Court. The official also submitted photographs showing concrete pipes projecting to the lake from the walkway area.
The amicus curie also highlighted instances of poorly laid floor tiles along the walkway and the non-functional street lighting facility in the area in the report. He also reported the case of installation of an incinerator of a residential apartment complex a few metres away from the walkway. Smoke is seen emanating from the incinerator, the report said.
