Proposal to build channel for effluents on anvil

Rajamahendravaram: East Godavari district administration is planning to implement a long-pending proposal of constructing a 'dedicated channel' to let industrial effluents into Bay of Bengal near Kakinada.

The proposal had been in cold storage for a long time, but the collector has taken it up now to reduce pollution in Godavari

According to sources, the proposed dedicated channel starts from Hukumpeta village on the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram and terminates at Avulamanda village near Uppada, a distance of 96 km. All along its way, the channel will take in the industrial effluents from various places, including AP Paper Mills in Rajamahendravaram and various industries located in Kadiyam, Mandapeta, Dwarapudi, Samalkot, Peddapuram, Rajamahendravaram Rural, Anaparthi, Biccavolu and Dowleswaram.

Industries such as paper, chemicals, rice, sago, food, hatcheries are located along the proposed dedicated channel. The then collector Randeep Sudan proposed the channel but it was kept in cold storage due to lack of commitment on the part of the government.

Meanwhile, collector Karthikeya Misra, as part of efforts to reduce the industrial pollution in the district, revived the channel proposal. Godavari Urban Development Authority chairman V Vijaya Rama Raju is preparing 'detailed project report' (DPR) for the dedicated channel.

Later, the DPR will be sent to the government for its nod and it was estimated that an amount of Rs 50 to Rs 75 crore is needed for the channel.

If the project is realised, the mighty River Godavari will have less the pollution and many paddy fields will also come into use. At present, many industries are letting off their effluents into the river and its canals at the cost of the health of people and fertile soil.