Residents Protest Over Spread Of Toxic Waste

Hyderabad: Residents in and around Quthbullapur industrial area took to streets seeking government’s intervention against polluting industries which are making their life miserable.

The residents rued that industries have been dumping toxic chemical waste into sewer lines and on Monday night situation became worse after residents were forced to come out of their homes covering their faces after a stench emanating from the factory filled the air.

“Since waste is being released into the drain, which is connected to every house, everyone living within a 10-km radius has been suffering. People from Kompally, Fatehnagar and Balanagar have also been complaining of breathlessness,” said one of the residents.

Qutbullapur MLA KP Vivekanand said that he would get a closure notice on the factory from the Telangana State Pollution Control Board.

Ironically, the factory was given permission under the Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self Certification System (TS-IPASS).

“If a company takes permission under this system, we have to complete all formalities, like environmental clearances and checks, within 14 days which is not sufficient at all. Also, under this system we can only give directives which cannot be enforced,” said P Madhusudana Reddy, a senior official of the board.