Firms bear brunt of shift

Hyderabad: Some industries including bulk drug manufacturers and alloy makers are ready to shift out of the city limits if they are provided infrastructure. But the government is facing reluctance from the micro, small and medium industries. The city’s 24 industrial estates host several sick micro, small and medium industries, which say shifting to the outskirts is a costly proposition because of damage to machinery.

Instead, the Federation of Telangana Small Industries Association (Fetsia, formerly Fapsia), says only polluting industries should be relocated. “Shifting is not an easy task as we have to relocate machinery and infrastructure. There could be over 40 per cent damage to property, and the MSMEs wo-uld not be able to bear the loss,” said Fetsia president J. Nageshwar Rao. “In some cases, the entire plant would be made based on the location. Therefore, there will be huge production and wage losses,” he said.

He said the sector may show some interest in relocation if the government compensates the managements for the loss. “That’s what is done in other countries. But it’s better if the government shifts polluting industries to outskirts while other units can remain here,” Mr Rao said. Vijay A. Deshmukh, Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) chief general manager, said, “We are working on relocating polluting industries including oil and dye makers which fall under the ‘Red Category’.”

For the dyeing, rerolling and other polluting industries, separate areas in Pasangaram, Pargi, Moindabad and Zaheerabad gave been developed with suitable infrastructure, he said. Pharmaceutical company owners who have been asked to move to the Pharma City  have sought strict zoning regulations to prevent residential spaces from coming up nearby. “Whenever pharma industries are developed, houses also come up. Then, we are asked to leave,” said Venkat Jasti, president of Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association.

Locals protest shift of polluting units

More than 100 electroplating units in the Balanagar Industrial area which were to be relocated near the  Automotive Industrial Park in Toopran, Medak district is facing resistance from villagers.
These electroplating industries have been the cause of pollution for several local water bodies and also the Hussainsagar, as they openly released water in the Kukatpally Nala, which in turn flow into Hussainsagar.

“We have taken the lands in the identified area by the TS Indus-trial Infrastructure Corporation however, there is resistance from villagers even before we have relocated. We have called on the officials to see that we get clearance from the local panchayat body, to avoid any issues in the future,” said an electroplating unit owner in Balanagar. P. Nageshwar Rao, TSICC, Zonal Manager, said, “Over 150 electroplating units have already applied for the land areas in Toopran and many are still applying.”

A TS Pollution Control Board official said, “It had been a regular affair, where several electroplating industries where issued closure notices for violating the pollution control norms.” A senior official of TSIIC said, “The relocation of industries was aimed at reducing the pollution.”