Hyderabad: Residents raise a stink over pungent smell from park

Hyderabad: The residents of Auto Nagar are facing hardship due to pungent smell emanating from the chemical waste that is being dumped in an open land adjacent to the Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National park. Several localities in LB Nagar and Mansoorabad are also getting the stench.

The locals pointed out that for the past one year chemical waste and polluted water from industries at Auto Nagar were being discreetly dumping in the open land adjacent to the park, which is a protected forest land.

They said due to this around 50 acres of forest land is filled with chemical water. Around 20 families residing there are suffering.The groundwater has become polluted. Recently, the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) began constructing a sewage treatment plant (STP) near the park, but it is not the solution.

Manoj Vidiyalat of Mansoorabad and co-founder of Dha3RNGO, said, "We are facing this problem for the past one year. Actually chemical waste and polluted water should be discarded in canals; but small industries at Auto Nagar are discharging them into the park through a pipeline. This will destroy the park, as it is surrounded by sewage. Due to that we locals are facing problems. Many respiratory cases have been reported. Members of Dha3RNGO have surveyed the park, as earlier the root cause was not known. Now it is known that small industries are dumping waste in the park."

He said the government is setting up an STP near the park with a capacity of 50 kilo liters per day (KLD) to stem the effluents seeping into park. But it is not a solution. It will be better if the pipeline is diverted to some canal and an effluent treatment plant is set up to treat the chemical waste.

Said Sunith Reddy of Auto Nagar "the condition has become worst, as not only the beautiful park is getting spoiled even the residents are suffering. The chemical smell is present mainly during the morning and evening hours. Due to foul smell, we are forced to shut our doors and windows. Several times we have lodged complaints to the pollution control board. The concerned official has visited our locality to verify the issue, but no permanent solution has been found. Setting up STP is not a solution."

According to Naveen, a local,"it is the fundamental right of every citizen to have clean air and fresh water, but nothing is happening over here. There is no proper scientific management of waste. The locals are spending sleepless nights, as air, soil and groundwater have become polluted. Due to that we are forced to buy water cans".