State govt downplaying mishap: Oppn

Mogalturu (West Godavari): The Ananda Aqua Processing Unit at Nallamvarithota village in Mogalturu Mandal of West Godavari district has released the effluents through a pipeline into the Gontheru drain. The All Party team which visited the Ananda Aqua Processing unit saw the effluent pipeline in the Gontheru Drain.

The team consisting of YSRCP district President and MLC Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani), CPM District committee Secretary B Balaram and others inspected the sump in which five workers died due to asphyxiation recently.Later they along with farmers visited the Gontheru drain in boats and observed the pipeline in the drain.

The smell spreading from the sump was overpowering even after one week. The ishermen went into the Gontheru drain and showed the pipeline and the prawn heads and other waste in the drain. They told all party members that due to the pollution of Gontheru drain, the fish and tortoises died. Due to this about 40,000 fishermen have lost their livelihood.

The fishermen told the all-party team that the Government has issued licenses to 900 nets for fishing. Earlier, if they went to the market to sell the fish, they got Rs.500 per day. Now due to pollution, no fish was available to the fishermen who entured into the drain. The drinking and irrigation water also polluted due to these effluents.

The all party team member and MLC Alla Nani told media that the Government has downplayed this big incident in which five workers lost their lives as a small issue.