Hyderabad: Ramky, the firm that runs the solid waste management project at the Jawaharnagar garbage dump yard on the city outskirts, has been served a notice by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board for multiple violations of environmental laws and causing health hazards, when the TSPCB examined the dumping site.
The foul smell emanating from the dumping yard has been taking a toll on the health of over 1 lakh residents of the nearby colonies.
The stench is distinctly noticeable even in the residential areas about 7-8 km from the dumping yard.
Anil Kumar, a member secretary of the TSPCB, said, “Ramky has been served notice on the foul smell issue.
Even the slaughterhouse that is being operated without any scientific disposal system has been served notices. They have been given two days to respond in detail.”
The environmental engineers of TSPCB, who examined the site, found that over 30 tonnes of waste produced every day from a slaughterhouse was being openly dumped in the yard without treatment.
The garbage dump mixed with slaughter house waste, was found on the open without any mandatory capping.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was found collecting Rs 10 crore lease fee from the slaughterhouse unit ignoring the mandatory disposal system.
Even the Ramky Company, which maintains the treatment plant, does not have operational leachate (the liquid oozing from the dump) treatment plant.
Environmental engineers of TSPCB questioning the Ramky representative. “The leachate treatment plant was not operational during our visit.
Even the plant is too small to treat hundreds of tonnes of garbage produced in the city.” The oozing leachate has been corroding stones which it comes in contact with.
TSPCB officials also found fault with GHMC for leasing out the slaughter house to a contractor without arranging a system of disposal of the animal waste.
“Ramky has been entrusted with the scientific disposal of the solid waste garbage, but not the animal waste from the slaughterhouse unit, which is a commercial affair of an individual,” said an official of TSPCB.
Ramky claimed that it got the contract for Solid Waste management in 2009 and the existing dump (uncapped) already existed then, which will be taken care of in the coming days.
