Banjara Hills residents deplore health hazards

HYDERABAD: Residents of Venkateswara Colony in Road No. 12 Banjara Hills are struggling in the face of mounting garbage, unbearable stench and mosquito infestations. The situation is worsened with open burning of plastic and thermocol waste, which is posing serious health and environmental risks.

Moreover, private parties, staying near the open land, are claiming ownership of the land where garbage is being dumped.

Residents allege that these individuals sit around the area and intimidate anyone who raises concerns about the issue.

A Deccan Chronicle photographer, who visited the location, was also intimidated by the said parties.

Two individuals, including a person, who introduced himself as Satyanarayana, told the photographer that they are managers of the land and ensured that the photographs were deleted.

Local residents have complained that trash and waste is getting accumulated in the open land, and the smell of rotting waste is spreading across the neighbourhood, making it difficult for people to even step out of their homes.

"The air is filled with smoke and toxic smells whenever plastic or thermocol is burnt. It is becoming hard to breathe, especially for children and elderly people," said Anil Kumar from MLA Colony.

Residents also said the mosquito menace in the area is severe, and worsens in evenings and nights. “The number of mosquitoes increases suddenly every night. We have to sit with mosquito bats in hand”, Anil added.

P. Vinay, another resident, said "Sometime back, they cleaned up the premises but the trash is piling up again, creating more mess. We are forced to live in such illness-causing conditions."

Residents are urging the authorities to remove the trash and take strict action against open burning before the situation worsens.

A GHMC official told Deccan Chronicle that they will soon clear the trash and spray mosquito repellent in the area.