Telangana: Tellapur residents alert PCB over stench from industries

Hyderabad: Ever since the leak of styrene vapour in Visakhapatnam, people have become more vigilant of foul smells emanating in their areas and are raising the issue with pollution control boards. In the most recent case, the Tellapur Neighbourhood Association (TNA) has filed a complaint with Central Pollution Control Board.

“The residents staying around Osmannagar village are experiencing a smell of chemical emissions in the air. It is pungent and irritating at times. This needs to be arrested immediately,” the TNA said in its complaint. There are over 30 communities in Tellapur area with more than 3,000 residential houses, villas and apartments. There are almost 15,000 residents living in the area.

Citing the styrene leak, the complaint further adds: “We are afraid of a repetition of such an incident in our vicinity as well. With a lot of residents living in various communities around Tellapur area, unless proper pre-emptive steps are initiated, it may lead to another disaster.” Speaking to TOI, Ramana Eshwaragari, president of TNA, said the smell was especially pungent around 3 am and is most likely coming from pharma firms located nearby which are operating even during the lockdown.

This is not the first such complaint. Residents of Beeramguda too have been calling the state pollution control board’s night patrol team. Papamal Dhanuka says, “There is a foul smell every day, especially from late night to early morning. We have made several complaints, but in vain.” The area falls near the Patancheru industrial belt.

A source from Telangana Pollution Control Board confirmed the increase in number of complaints. “We received several complaints, especially on May 10 after police were informed of foul smell. The smell was being carried from the Bolarum Industrial belt,” said the source.

“While night patrolling was stopped after the lockdown, three teams in Medchal-Malkajgiri, Hyderabad and one at the headquarters at Sanathnagar were started since Monday to deal with increasing complaints,” said the source.

Meanwhile, Krupananda, joint chief environmental engineer said: “In fact any foul smell should be less in summer when the gasses rise up faster. In the winter, they remain at surface for longer.”