Hyderabad: Farmers raise pharma pollution with PCB in Sanathnagar

Sanathnagar: Following a number of complaints from the villagers of Choutuppal village, the Member-Secretary of Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) Neetu Kumari Prasad convened a meeting with farmers and others from Choutuppal and nearby villages to discuss the problems they were facing due to pharma industry.

As many as 50 farmers and social activists attended the meeting and expressed their issues with the member secretary. Issues like groundwater contamination, air and soil pollution and many other issues were raised. The farmers said the issues were raised a number of times and alleged that all PCB officers colluded with industries and did not take any action.

Jala Venkatesh Yadav, a farmer from Choutuppal, said: "15 years ago our fields and areas nearby were covered green crops and greenery but now the farmers are not able to cultivate in the same fields due to excess pollution."

"Due to protests by people manufacturing of drugs was discarded in Kakinada. However, the plight of people persists in Choutuppal. With the existing pharma plants there is a lot of pollution and the government is planning to set up more which is a matter of concern to all the locals," he added further.