Animal carcasses choke sewer lines in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Civic problems in Bholakpur in Hyderabad continue unabated. On a surprise visit, officials found animal carcasses, with bones and skin scattered everywhere.

This is due to a cluster of leather factories in Bholakpur that have been dumping animal skin and waste into the sewer lines for years.

These mini industries were supposed to have moved out five years ago, however local political forces had managed to block the GHMC from passing the order.

Describing the conditions at Bholakpur, GHMC commissioner B. Janar-dhan Reddy said, “There are about 107 raw skin and hide units in Bholakpur. These are processed here and transported to tanneries, mostly in Chennai and Kolkata. As new colonies came up and the population increased, there was a hue and cry about the pollution from the industries. The erstwhile MCH had withheld the renewal of trade licenses for the raw skin and hide units of Bholakpur from 2003-04 onwards.”

He said three bone units were closed but the hide units continued to operate. Five tanneries which used to treat the hides chemically, were also closed as per orders of the AP Pollution Control Board, he said.

He added, “The GHMC is trying since 2009 to relocate these industries to the modern abattoir at Chengicherla, Ghatkesar mandal, Ranga Reddy district, by providing all amenities like electricity, water supply and roads.”

The AP Human Rights Commission and GHMC had taken up a survey of commercial activities at Bholakpur and had prepared a comprehensive plan for shifting the skin, plastic units to Chengicherla in coordination with HMDA. It was decided to shift the tanneries to Chengicherla and the plastic reprocessing units to Kothlapur in Medak district, he said.

The plastic industries’ association declined to move to a far-off place like Kothlapur and requested for a nearby place in the city’s outskirts for relocation.

“Thus none of these polluting industries have moved from Bholakpur,” Mr Janardhan Reddy said.

The GHMC commissioner has instructed the health and sanitation staff of the GHMC and the Pollution Control Board to make a field visit to the 15 locations indicated by the TSIIC for immediate shifting of the pollution causing industries from Bholakpur.