PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRIALISATION
Between

1975 and 1985, Industrial Estates (IEs) were formed under the aegis of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) Ltd., within a radius of 30 kms of Hyderabad at Patancheru, Bolaram, Kazipally, Pashamylaram, Bonthapally and Gaddapotharam, as these were considered backward areas. These Industrial Estates were located in the two sub-basins of the Nakkavagu stream and the Kukatpally nalah leading to the Musi river. Various subsidies, as well as Sales Tax exemptions were given to the industries. The largest IE is at Patancheru, which was developed in an area of 1100 acres in five phases and some of the State's biggest bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals industries are located in the IEs at Patancheru and Bolaram. During the development of these estates, no effort was made to internalise environmental management measures to prevent adverse impacts of industrial effluent discharges.

 
By

the late 1980s, surface and ground water, as well as the soil had got polluted in the two sub-basins. This was mainly due to the presence of persistent organic pollutants, hazardous waste dumping, organic and inorganic chemicals in industrial discharges along with sewage entering the Nakkavagu and Musi feeder lakes. Besides the direct contamination of the flow-water sources, ground water and irrigation water were also affected through surface and flows from lakes. As a result of the contamination of these water bodies, the villages in the Musi sub basin have lost recourse to clean water. The pollution was primarily caused as there is no cost-effective treatment for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and organic chemicals. Industries invariably resorted to neutralisation and dilution of their effluents as pre-treatment. It is also relevant to note that till 1988, the Pollution Control Board did not have the power to order closure of the units, so as to stop the operations of polluting units. Prosecutions would take long periods of time in litigation due to the application of the Civil Procedure Code.
 
With

a view to try and control the pollution problem, industries along with the government set up Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in the early 1990s. The CETP, however, did not function satisfactorily, as there was no pre-treatment carried out by the industries before sending the effluents to CETPs. The CETPs were located in the middle of catchments and had no safe-disposal points. They discharged their effluents in the same waterways as the individual units had been hitherto doing. Further, the effluent is brought to the CETPs by way of tankers from the individual units, which in itself led to problems of illegal dumping. If tankers were refused at the CETP gates for carrying high concentration of effluents, they would dump the material elsewhere, creating public nuisance and health hazard.

 
Back
Close window