Hyderabad: A foul-smelling chemical has left the residents of Nizampet, Bachupally, Miyapur and other areas breathless on Sunday. The areas are situated next to the Industrial Development Area, Bolaram.
“Foul smell is a regular affair. But on Sunday, it was terrible,” said Suresh Dhepuri, a resident of Miyapur.
Residents complain the Pollution Control Board has failed to act against polluting units. The smell intensified by evening and the PCB was informed at 9 pm. It sent their team at 10.30 pm, allege locals.
The residents have for long been doubting Reddy’s Laboratory and Ramky’s TSDF hazardous waste disposal unit as main sources of the polluting smell. “It is difficult to find the exact polluter. We have collected samples,” said PCB senior scientist P. Veeranna.
Some PCB officials have hinted that Ramky’s TSDF unit which incinerates hazardous organic substances with high calorific value may be the culprit.
Experts say the situation will only aggravate in winter when cool air tends to stagnate. “A cold moisture blanket near the surface of earth will not allow the gasses to escape,” said environmentalist Professor B.V. Subba Rao.
