The bulk drugs manufacturers in Andhra Pradesh have once again urged the state government to lift the ban on expansion of existing bulk drug units of Hyderabad and the nearby industrial areas of Ranga Reddy, Medak, Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda districts on condition of strict compliance of pollution control norms by the industry.

The pollution has been a nagging issue for the bulk drugs industry in Andhra Pradesh for over a decade. The state government had banned setting up of new bulk drug units and the expansion of the existing ones on orders from the Supreme Court. In its interim order dated May 12, 1998, the Supreme Court ordered Andhra Pradesh government to declare permanent ban on setting up of new units of bulk drug industry.

But, at the advice of Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB), the then state government passed an order on April 21, 1999 putting a permanent ban not only on establishments of new units but also on expansion of existing units of Hyderabad and the nearby industrial areas of Ranga Reddy, Medak, Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda districts, the bulk drugs manufacturers said.

Meanwhile, the bulk drug manufacturers argue that the intention of the Supreme Court was to ban only establishment of new units in these five districts, and not the expansion of existing units on the purpose of controlling and containment of industrial pollution.

A delegation of Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association (BDMA) met state minister for forests and environment Ramachandra Reddy and sought his intervention in the matter. The delegation, while agreeing to retain the ban on establishment of new units, asked the government to immediately lift the ban on expansion of existing units with the condition that they should strictly comply with the pollution control norms.

The delegation drove home the point to the minister that before the ban was imposed, the common effluent plants (CETPs) were at nascent stage. Subsequently with the gradual introduction of new technologies both the CETPs have been performing well in the treatment of effluents. Even now, both these plants are poised for further upgradation of technology to take large amount of effluent load.

Any existing industry, if it has to survive and thrive, has to develop and expand further, particularly in the present days of global competition. In no other state there is a ban and because of this ban, Andhra Pradesh is placed in a disadvantageous position when compared with other states, BDMA president M Narayana Reddy said.