Taking forward its initiative to check polluting pharmaceutical and bulk drug units in Andhra Pradesh, the State Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has now focused its concentration on units located in Medak district of the state. After taking stock of the industrial areas located at Kazipally and Gaddaporthram villages, the board had issued warning notices to the bulk drug units that are causing environment pollution in the district.

Earlier, the PCB has issued closure notices to 8 bulk drug manufacturing in Nalgonda district as these units were violating the pollution control norms since long. Taking the cue, now the PCB is focusing on units located in other districts.

Moreover the PCB had received a directive from High Court last month to not to spare anyone who are not seriously implementing pollution control standards.

In view of this, the PCB seems to be taking serious measure to tackle effluents accumulated in industrial areas of Jinnaram mandal of Medak district.

Worried over the pollution in their villages, the local activists had complained about stinking smell emanating from the factories. It is believed that land in about 22 villages has been affected and has become unfit for doing cultivation.

Acting on complaints given by the local residents of the Kazipally and Gaddaporthram villages, a team of PCB officials visited Jinnaram mandal and took stock of the situation. As the industrial area is located far from the city the regulatory officials rarely visited the area earlier. The effluents released in Jinnaram mandal had totally spoiled the ground water due to seepage of harmful chemical.

The Board’s member secretary, B S S Prasad, had reviewing the Consent for Operation of various factories and asked Model Industrial Association president K Raja Rao to ensure that corrective measures are in place in a few days or else, the erring industrial units should be ready to face severe action, he indicated.

As the Patancheru common effluent plant is near to the Industrial area, the PCB officials had directed the factories to send their effluents to the treatment plant and clear seepages every day to ensure zero-accumulation.

Earlier the state government had instituted a committee to inspect the polluting industries in the state. As a part of this, Dr Divi Sarangapani Iyengar, former deputy director and head, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, and Ch. Padmanabha Rao participated as members of the committee.