Hyderabad: Kattedan in Ranga Reddy district and the Rajendernagar Circle have turned into hubs for illegal plastic manufacturing units, that manage to stay out of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s demolition list due to political connections.
Hundreds of unauthorised gas stations in the twin cities have also escaped the GHMC’s net.
It also appears that the GHMC itself is turning a blind eye to these illegally operating sectors.
Though the corporation has a record of the illegal units, especially in the old city and the peripheral areas of Greater Hyderabad, no action is being taken as a favour to a political party.
Santhosh Kumar, a resident of Hasannagar, Langar Houz, said, “At least 200 industries in Tatanagar and around 20 at Hasannagar have been operating for a long time. These units are close to schools and residential areas. They burn plastic, and toxic waste is mixed in sewage lines. They bribe officials and get electricity connections. It is not known how they get water connections, when the entire premises are unauthorised. These small-scale industries are spread across Shahpur, Gandhinagar and Boraband."
Ahmed Babu, a resident of Shastripuram, said, “We have made several complaints, but it has all been of no use.”
Meanwhile, according to the police, there are 300 illegal gas filling stations under the GHMC limits. The lax attitude of the officials was exposed after a cylinder blast on June 8 in Nimboliadda.
Speaking about the action taken against these illegal units, a GHMC official, who did not wish to be named, said, “Following a spate of complaints from the residents of Kattedan, Gaganpahad, Shastripuram and other nearby areas over the pollution in the localities for a long time, the GHMC pulled down 21 unauthorised plastic units in August. Six illegal plastic units near Mir Alam Tank were also seized”
