Rayalseema Alkali raises pollution questions

KURNOOL: A proposal to expand the polluting Rayalaseema Alkalis unit in Kurnool city has sent shock waves among those in the immediate vicinity of the project. Rayalaseema Alkalis and Rayalaseema Itachi hi-strength hipo limited operate from the same industrial complex, They plan a big expansion in their production lines which means more effluents would be channelled into Tungabhadra and more pollution.

The company plans to expand mono-chloro acetic acid production   from 16.7 tpd to 83.5 tpd and the coal-based co-generation power plant from 3 MW to 13 MW that includes sodium methoxide plant of capacity of 20 tpd. The product is highly corrosive. A public hearing conducted on Wednesday ended up in “a sham” hearing as none of the public could represent their grievances in free and fair manner. Now they demand the government to re conduct public hearing to elicit their views. People wonder as to how the state government permitted such a hazardous industry in the first place at a place where two reserve forests are located within 10 kms.

The nearest habitation from the plant is E Thandrapadu village at a distance of 0.5 kms. The nearest town and railway station is Kurnool at 3.4 kms. The Gadidamadug Reserve Forest is about 6 kms to the Southeast. Pullaiah Reserve Forest is 9.5 kms in the sothwest. “We don't want this project. Save us from pollution. Give us free air, clean water and noiseless environment,” is what villagers around the factory located on the banks of river Tungabhadra river demand. Already our life is spoiled because of the factory. No more expansion,  they pleaded. But the leaders that represent them, be it Sarpanchs or political leaders with muscle power, are silencing their voices.

The villagers around Sri Rayalaseema Alkalis Unit fear the potential damage to their health and habitats because of the proposed expansion of the project at a cost of Rs 150 crore. While the existing plant itself dealt a body blow to their health by crippling them economically, they are apprehensive about the new problems that may crop up. Villagers said that  their fields have become barren, motor pumps failed and grazing animals developed a complex dermatisis, rendering them unfit for domestication. The public hearing conducted by the state pollution control board with the district collector as its head saw a “stage managed” hearing as majority of the audience comprised workers of the factory or their family members.

The vocal sections of the villagers who wanted to talk were not allowed. The Sarpanchs of Panchalingala, Gondiparla and E Thandrapadu were told not to raise any issues at the public hearing. The Panchalingala Sarpanch AdiLaxmama's husband Maheshwar Reddy said that they did not raise the pollution issue even though we are suffering from it as we  were enticed with baits and sops.

Somanna, Sarpanch of E Thandrapad inwhose village the factory is located said that none of the audience attended raised the real issues being faced by the villagers. How can we open our mouths when company officials including T.G. Venkatesh, Rajya Sabha member, are present at the public hearing. We can only ventilate our views freely when we are given privacy, he said. When contacted the Pollution Control Board Regional Officer Prasad Rao said that public hearing was conducted as per schedule. None of the audience raised issues of pollution. Only they were asking about jobs. We are forwarding all the representations to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.