People living amid stench, pollution

Jawahar Nagar: The residents of localities in Malkajgiri, Kapra, ECIL, Sainikpuri, Yapral, Dammaiguda and a few surrounding areas have been devoid of clean and fresh air due to persistent pungent foul odour filling the air for the past few weeks.

• Dammaiguda residents stage protest demanding shifting of dump yard

• Jawahar Nagar dump yard surrounded by 30 villages with a total population of 6-7 lakh

• Foul smell in air up to 15 km; Groundwater contaminated in 10-km radius

• The persistent pungent odour is posing health hazards to locals, making their lives miserable

The locals allege that the malodorous stink emanating for the last two-weeks smelt like a combination of rotting carcasses, burning rubber and ammonia which stays for hours until the wind drifts its direction to other localities.

"The residents are subjected to bad whiff throughout the day and it gets unbearable in the evening as there is more wind. The air quality in Sainikpuri has dropped down compared to what it was earlier. The stench which used to be once in a while, earlier, is now staying for days," said Ch Satyanarayana, a resident of Defence Colony, Sainikpuri.

On Sunday, the residents of Dammaiguda sat on an indefinite hunger strike outside the dump yard, demanding the GHMC to shift the dump yard. The pungent smell is affecting the surrounding colonies and has also polluted the groundwater, causing health hazards to the families living nearby. The Jawahar Nagar dump yard is located between 30 villages having a population of six to seven lakh. This entire population is living under the cover of foul smell, which is affecting their health and daily life.

M Prashanth, a resident of Dammaiguda, who was also a part of the protest said, "The National Green Tribunal had asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to find alternatives for Jawahar Nagar dumping yard on December 7, 2017, however, the authorities neither were unable to find new site nor came up with any solution."

"A lot of families and children have been suffering due to continuous exposure to polluted air and the ground water. The foul odour from the dump yard spreads in an area of 15 km, up to places like Keesara, Malkajgiri and Kapra Mandals. During heavy rain, the scent from dump yard worsens and it becomes unbearable, claim the residents. It has also polluted the groundwater in a radius of 10 km radius."