PCBs get HC notice for inaction against pollutant units in Jeedimetla IDA

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday questioned the Central and State Pollution Control Boards on why they were not responding to complaints about pollution causing pharma units in Jeedimetla.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar on Monday issued notices to the secretary of Union ministry of environment, member-secretaries of Central Pollution Control and TSPCB, director of ground water department, district collector of Medchal-Malkajgiri and 69 medical and pharma and other industries operating in Jeedimetla, directing them to file their response to the notices within four weeks.

The bench was adjudicating a PIL filed by P.L.N. Rao against the inaction of the PCBs against 70 pharma and chemical industries in Jeedimetla despite emitting huge quantities of dangerous pungent chemicals that are endangering lives of people residing in the vicinity. The petitioner sought a direction to shift all these industries out of the Jeedimetla to save human lives.

Counsel or the petitioner informed that out of the 300 industries in Jeedimetla area, more than 70 were chemical and pharmaceutical Industries. They are resorting to dumping hazardous effluents, both solid and liquid fluids, to an extent of about five lakh litres per day without following the Hazardous Waste Management Rules – 2016.

The court, while issuing notices, adjourned the matter by four weeks for counter affidavits.