The Telangana Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) officials have failed to contain the land, water and air pollution in and around the districts of Sangareddy, Medak and Siddipeta in Telangana state. Taking a jibe at the indifferent attitude of the pollution control board officials, people’s representatives of all parties at a Zilla Parishad (ZP) meeting in Sangareddy expressed their dissatisfaction at the way the PCB is working.

Not satisfied by the action taken by the officials of Telangana Pollution Control Board to contain pharma companies, the political representatives irrespective of their political affiliation criticized the indifference and deliberate negligence on the part of the pollution control board.

Earlier, the authorities representing the pollution control board (TSPCB) at the ZP meeting claimed that they are doing their best to control the polluting bulk drug manufacturing companies by conducting regular inspections and imposing fines. “We have increased our vigil on the polluting companies in the recent years and have been regularly issuing notices and imposing fines on the violators. Very recently we have issued closure notices to more than 10 companies in Patancheru and Jinnaram areas for causing pollution. To put a check on the violators, we have also taken bank guarantees from the pharma companies, if in case if any of these companies are found violating the pollution control norms, the bank guaranteed amount will be confiscated,” informed a senior PCB official.

However, the leaders alleged that the PCB officials are not functioning effectively to contain the pollution, rather they are just confining themselves for issuing notices and collecting fines from the violators. “Taking bank guarantee from the managements of the pharma companies and allowing them to start production activities without proper inspection is like taking money and asking them to do whatever they want to do. Will this kind of regulation help contain the pollution in the area? It will never put an end to the pollution woes faced by the people in the area. Instead the pollution control board must change their attitude of money minting and must work toward providing a better environment for the people to live in peacefully,” said K. Prabhakar Reddy, Member of Parliament from Medak.

Because of polluted water being released in the nearby Isnapur irrigation tank, the fish seed and small fish lings which were released have all died causing more than Rs.5 lakh loss to the government. In a recent report released by Indian Medical Survey it is revealed that dangerous diseases which are also alien to the medical field are affecting the people living in the industrial areas.