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Hazardous waste and polluted water!
Housing nearly 400 factories comprising of engineering units, plastic production plants, and pharmaceutical company laboratories, Jeedimetla is a major hub of industrial activities in Hyderabad. Despite the fact that the factories pay a fat chunk of taxes to the State exchequer, living around them is no less than a nightmare.
Jeedimetla: Housing nearly 400 factories comprising of engineering units, plastic production plants, and pharmaceutical company laboratories, Jeedimetla is a major hub of industrial activities in Hyderabad. Despite the fact that the factories pay a fat chunk of taxes to the State exchequer, living around them is no less than a nightmare.
In 2013, following a committee report, the then government decided to shift a majority of the 13 industrial estates that fall within the ORR limits. Last year the Telangana Industries Department set itself a time frame to move 1,068 polluting industries by the end of December 2017. Yet, no action has been taken so far citing the massiveness of the project
An overwhelmingly pungent odour and ashy grey fumes atop chimneys welcome anyone who visits the area. Moreover, pigs lazing around the municipal wastes and open nalas in and around the factories are a common sight in industrial colonies.
"Breathing in the air at Jeedimetla for an hour or so can give you a headache. It is because of the strong smell coming from the chemical factories. Now, imagine being exposed to it regularly. It opens up a plethora of respiratory-related issues like asthma, migraine, bronchitis etc,” explains Ramana Vallabhaneni, General Secretary of Apurupa Colony Welfare Association.
A doctor, on condition of anonymity, told The Hans India that many of the residents in Subhash Nagar, Venkateshwara Colony, Sr Naik Nagar, Apurupa Colony etc tend to develop skin diseases as they are vulnerable to the fine dust from the factories that gets dispersed in the surrounding regions. Residents allege that factories are illegally disposing of wastewater into the open drains thereby polluting the groundwater.
It may be recalled that earlier in 2013, following a committee report, the then united Andhra Pradesh government, decided to shift a majority of the 13 industrial estates that fall within the ORR limits. Last year the Telangana Industries Department set itself a time frame to move 1,068 polluting industries by the end of December 2017. Yet, no action has been taken so far citing the massiveness of the project.
When contacted, Kumar Pathak, Environmental Engineer at the Pollution Control Board of Jeedimetla said, “Time and again our officials are tightening nooses on the lawbreakers. Our night patrol team ensure that no illegal activity takes place in the industrial area.
Once a week, we take samples of the nalas to make sure no one disposes of chemical effluents illegally. Moreover, we have established a wastewater treatment plant that can accommodate wastes from over 350 small and medium enterprises across the city. But we would always welcome citizens to report such illegal activity at any time."
By Maitreyi Tadepalli
