Palamuru reels under industrial pollution

Mahabubnagar: Palamuru, an erstwhile region of Mahabubnagar district, is grappling with a severe pollution as industries are indiscriminately discharging harmful waste and effluents, polluting agriculture fields and endangering public health. Since the inception of the new state of Telangana in 2014, over 680 industrial units have sprung up across the region, primarily engaged in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, tires, food processing, mining, and crushing.

According to Vijay Kumar, Assistant Director of Mines, there are over 200 quarries and nearly 250 crushers across Palamuru region. These crushers are also involved in causing pollution in the form of fine dust particles, due to which the vegetation and agriculture in the surrounding region is completely damaged.

Despite numerous complaints lodged with the pollution control board, authorities have turned a blind eye, allowing industries to continue their unchecked pollution. The absence of a dedicated pollution control office in Mahabubnagar district has exacerbated the situation, leaving regulatory oversight severely lacking. Inspections, if conducted at all, are often superficial, failing to address blatant violations of pollution norms.

One of the most affected areas is the Polepally Special Economic Zone (SEZ), where the agricultural community bears the brunt of industrial pollution. Effluents discharged by pharmaceutical companies have led to land degradation, reduced agricultural yields, and widespread environmental degradation. Farmers in Polepally village have reported significant declines in crop productivity due to water and soil contamination, with soil tests revealing alarming levels of zinc, carbon, and potassium.

Furthermore, the lack of accessible avenues for lodging pollution-related complaints compounds the issue. The absence of a dedicated pollution control board office in Mahabubnagar forces residents to travel to Hyderabad to register grievances, impeding timely intervention against polluting industries.

In recent incidents, protests have erupted against the establishment of an ethanol factory in Chittanuru village, Narayanpet district, and iron smelting factories in Balanagar region, Mahabubnagar. Despite community opposition, these industries continue to operate, further aggravating pollution and threatening public health and livelihoods.

Residents of Mahabubnagar are calling for urgent action from the pollution control board to enforce stringent regulations and conduct regular inspections to reign in polluting industries. With the region’s proximity to major national highways and its attractiveness to industrial development, addressing the pollution crisis is paramount to safeguarding the well-being of the community and preserving the environment for future generations.