Factories Spew Harmful Gases in Darkness of Night

Hyderabad: Several residents living close to industrial areas in Hyderabad complain about getting exposed to toxic air, as factories release untreated emissions into the atmosphere, mostly after dark. Despite repeated complaints to the Pollution Control Board (PCB), no action was taken against the violators, and the issue continues to affect lakhs of residents, especially children.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Venkata Kantheti, a resident from Bachupally, said, “We have been fighting against the air pollution for over a decade now. In 2022, around 51 gated communities representing over 1.5 lakh people submitted a complaint to PCB. But there was no action. Eventually, we had to approach the PCB appellate authority. Even now, the case is going on.”

“If the air is dry, pollutants travel upward and affect apartments in Hill County, My Home Jewel, Avatar and even till Gachibowli. If it’s humid, the gases move horizontally and affect areas like Bachupally, Nizampet and Miyapur more severely,” he added.

P. Nand Kishore, another resident from Bachupally, said, “Heavy air pollution and foul smell in and around western Hyderabad like Bachupally, Nizampet, Miyapur, Hafeezpet, Kondapur, Madinaguda, Lingampalli, BHEL, Gachibowli, Ameenpur, etc. We have been facing this problem for the last 14 years. It’s unfortunate that they could not identify the pollutant that is causing the smell nor could they identify the source of pollution.”

Many of these emissions are being released during late night or early morning hours to escape detection, says residents. “Factories in Sultanpur and Pashamylaram emit gas-like substances after office hours. Around 9 pm, we often notice a strong chemical smell near Beeramguda. It is especially harmful for children and elderly people.” said Sai Koushik, a resident of the area.

He said some factories appear to be medical units and are nearly five kilometers away, but the impact still reaches his locality. “The smell is foul. We have complained, but nothing has been done so far,” he said.

Nanda Kishore Kapa from Madinaguda said the issue is not new. “We’ve protested, held meetings, even got site visits done. The PCB says it will collect air samples but their teams often come after the smell is gone. We are asking them to use wind data and citizen complaints to trace the sources, but nothing concrete is being done,” he said.

“I have been living in Ameenpur for five years, but the chemical smell in the air hasn’t stopped. It usually begins at 7 pm and continues till 9 pm and sometimes till midnight. Children playing outside late in the evening will face health concerns. We have filed multiple complaints. PCB officials came twice, but by the time they arrived, the smell had already disappeared. This isn’t a minor issue; it could affect future generations, said Mahesh Reddy, a resident from Ameenpur.