A grim battle against industrial pollution

Gajuwaka residents exposed to serious health hazards

​Visakhapatnam: It’s a saga of 17-year long grim battle against pollution caused by a cluster of industries for the residents of Sri Tirumala Nagar in Gajuwaka area, 25 km away from the city. The hapless residents are leading a miserable life with sleepless nights due to high-levels of air and sound pollutions, thanks to the apathy of the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB).

The colony, developed by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), is inhabited by 200 independent houses and nearly 40 group houses. Mostly, employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, BHPV, HSL, HPCL and Visakha Refinery are living in the colony.

The Andhra Pradesh Industrial and Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has facilitated a glass factory, two granite plants, rod rolling company in the vicinity of the colony allegedly in violation of the APPCB guidelines.

G Naga Bhusanam, president of Sri Tirumala Nagar Welfare Association, shared with The Hans India that the association leaders petitioned the District Collector at Prajavani programme and the PCB seeking to rein in half-a-dozen factories causing sound and dust pollution located in IDA, Autonagar near Tirumalanagar.

The PCB officials inspected the industries but there appeared no action, he complained.
A steel company is burning raw coal powder to generate gas. In the process thick layers of smoke envelope the houses in the colony, besides, ash coming out from the industries, dust and sound pollution make their lives miserable.

People are deprived of sleep at nights because of high-decibel noise, it is complained. The inhabitants staged a dharna under the banner of the colony welfare association seeking to introduce measures against pollution in the factories recently. Nagabhushan proposed steps enforcing the factors to run for only 8 to 12 hours a day, giving breather for the locals from noise pollution.

Life becomes miserable as the factories are running round the clock, he said. Ramu, a resident, complained that during winter season people experience breathing problems with irritation in nostrils and throat on account of polluted air enveloping the area.

The trees with foliages covered with thick ash and dust generated in the process of breaking huge boulders of granite stones bear the tell-tale signs of hazards faced by the residents, said Karuna, a housewife.

Students are forced to leave their homes and take shelter in their relatives’ houses elsewhere for studies during the exams because of noise beyond the tolerable levels. M. Suri Babu, a local medical practitioner, said incidence of respiratory disorders due to air pollution is a common site in the locality. Gases released from the lubricant factories are posing a serious health hazard to the local residents, he added.

By: Phani Suni