Fertiliser plant and oil refinery pollute the environment
Unclean open drain gives a murky look to the residents of Srinivasanagar (West) Colony near Coromandel Junction in Visakhapatnam (Photo: DC)
Visakhapatnam: Ensconced between Coro-mandel Fertilisers and INS Eksila, the Srinivasanagar (West) Colony in the 46th ward of Visakhapatnam welcomes one only to a host of problems. Comprising of about 2,000 houses, including many upscale apartments, the area has been mainly reeling from the pollution emitted from the neighbouring fertiliser company and a state-run oil refinery.
Speaking to DC, K. Ramakrishnam Raju, president of the colony and a retired defence employee said, “Proposed expansion of HPCL is not acceptable due to existing unbearable high pollution affecting environmental aspects, including our colony.” Once home for elite people, the colony had seen many officials leaving it within the last 10 years, citing excessive pollution levels and lack of basic amenities.
From potholes in the middle of the road to encroached drainages and roads, a heavy downpour floods the houses and apartments in the colony. Reminiscing the transformation of the colony, an elderly male said that once the national highway was passing through this area during the regime of Dr Marri Chenna Reddy before the expansion.
The officials digging the road frequently without having a consolidated plan and leaving the construction material on the roads are also severely affecting the traffic.
Another resident K. Prabhavathi, a senior TD leader said, “Though we are not opposing the expansion of HPCL, the government has to look into the pollution aspect within the immediate vicinity of the refinery which can put public health at grave risk.”
E. Hanumantha Rao, a resident of the colony said, “Despite repeated pleas to the officials about the encroached roads and drainages within the vicinity, no action has been taken. The rain water is flooding our houses and colonies.”
With Hindustan Zinc suspending the production, the pollution levels have seen a measurable drop. But residents of this colony still wake up to a layer of ash on the premises of their houses. “With neutralising plants and increasing the height of chimneys of HPCL, we can reduce the pollution levels drastically,” added K. Ramakrishnam Raju.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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