Anakapalli: Industry pollution impacting health of several villagers

Anakapalli : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to Union, state governments and state pollution control board for the inaction in containing pollution at the Parawada Pharma City.

Waste chemicals being released by the industries of Parawada Pharma City are being released into the sea without getting treated. Following which, the ponds in the nearby villages are getting polluted. The farmers are facing difficulties as they are unable to cultivate crops. On several occasions, a school of fish have died, environmental activists recall.

Meanwhile, the pharma city management dug a new pond adjacent to Tanam village and made arrangements to discharge pharma waste chemicals into it. However, CPM leaders G Satyanarayana and K Lokanadham complained to the State Pollution Control Board and District Collector about the pharma company for violating environmental norms. But, no action was taken by the authorities concerned.

Following which, they filed a complaint with the NGT with the help of advocate Shravan Kumar. The NGT issued notices to the Central and State government departments, pollution control board and pharma city management. A 250-meter long green belt has to be raised outside the industries. However, not many industries follow the norm.

Due to increasing industrial pollution, the people of the villages are suffering serious health issues. People have been appealing to the government repeatedly to rehabilitate them.”The pharma city management is violating the buffer zone and green belt regulations and the locals are facing serious health problems because of their negligence. If proper action is not taken even after the issuance of notices from the NGT, the CPM would launch a public agitation,” says Lokanadham.

Meanwhile, the government has allotted 50 acres of land to release waste solids of pharma industries. Due to this, the groundwater is getting polluted. The government officials have closed the borewells in Thadi village so that they cannot be used. The management of pharma city releases untreated toxic chemicals into the drains of the nearby villages of Tanam and Parawada, mentioned the CPM leaders.

Keeping the locals health issues in view, CPM leaders have complained several times that the pollution control board should take necessary action against the pharma companies. As their repeated complaints failed in taking any action, they approached the NGT.

About 2,100 acres of land allotted to Visakha Pharmacy Private Limited during the then Chief Minister of united AP Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy’s regime. The lands were allocated to the pharma companies.

By violating pollution norms, the neighbouring villages have been bearing the brunt. With the notices issued by the NGT, the CPM leaders hope that a positive solution will emerge soon.