Hyderabad: Rubble trucks are a risk

Hyderabad: Adding to the dust and pollution in the city are trucks filled with rubble from construction sites, which they dump in open and secluded areas. Because the trucks are uncovered, the dust flies off creating a health hazard for residents and blurring the vision of motorists.

Most of these huge trucks laden with concrete and brick waste ply at night at high speed in order to complete more trips and dump more waste and so go unnoticed by the police.

The trucks are headed towards the Outer Ring Road or lake beds where the debris can be dumped without being noticed. This is done despite a law being in place that criminalises such dumping under section 413 of the Municipal Act of GHMC that can attract a fine of up to Rs 10,000.

The trucks are a hazard to motorists because they are recklessly driven and polluting. “I understand the waste has to go somewhere but it’s blinding to drive on these roads, especially near the Malkam Cheruvu where so much dust flies on the road,” said Shashank, a motorist who commutes frequently on this road.

The dust adds to the air pollution, with high levels of PM 2.5 and 10 which are considered major pollutants. The Air Quality Index website on Friday noted Sanath Nagar’s AQI as 123, which is considered “Unhealthy”.

“Construction waste consists of cement and silica particles that are very minute. The pollution levels are already high and nobody cares about the health hazards this waste causes,” observed Dr Prasana Reddy from Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda.

He says 20 and 25 per cent of Hyderabad’s population suffers from respiratory disorders. The municipality has been very lax in implementing the law. Sanitation officials have collected a meagre Rs 25,000 in fines from the west zone. In February this year, the corporation had decided to set up construction waste recycling units in each zone, but the west zone still hasn’t commissioned one.