Severe air pollution chokes villagers in Mancherial

Several chemical and manufacturing unit situated near two villages emitting toxic gases

Mancherial: Nearly 3,000 residents belonging to Pulimadugu and Koteshwaraopalli in Mandamarri mandal are expressing ire over increasing air pollution caused by ceramic pipe companies, rice mills and a paper manufacturing unit. They rue that they are experiencing breath-related ailments.

Both Pulimadugu and Koteshwaraopalli villages are situated on either side of Mancherial-Asifabad State highway, about 12 kilometers away from Mancherial district centre. The dwellers, mostly tribals and weaker sections, are already facing breathing problems due to the emissions by vehicles that move on the stretch and the dust raised due to mining of coal by opencast projects.

Incidentally, the two villages also house five ceramic pipe producing firms, three parboiled rice mills and a paper manufacturer, which are releasing toxic gases causing air pollution and annoying the locals. “Elderly people and children are diagnosed with chest pain, cough, asthma, difficulty in breathing, allergies,” Gurram Tirupati, a farmer of Koteshwaraopalli told Telangana Today.

“A layer of dust particles is formed over the vehicles parked in front of houses and water stored in buckets and vessels. We requested the management of ceramic pipe, rice mills and paper manufacturers several times to take steps for reducing the emissions, but in vain. We are forced to spend huge amounts on respiratory-related ailments,” Srinivas Bolisetti, another resident regretted.

Scores of dwellers staged a sit-in in front of the paper recycling manufacturer, demanding its management to prevent the air and industrial effluents on November 7. They alleged that the firms were showing negligence in mitigating the air and water pollution. They withdrew their agitation when Mandamarri Sub-Inspector Bhumesh assured to address the menace.

When asked, Telangana SWG Pipes Manufacturers’ Association vice president P Hanumanth Rao said that they would take measures for avoiding air pollution by discussing the issue with the management of the firms soon. He concurred that the smoke generated from chimneys due to the burning of the pipes would pollute the air.

While Pulimadugu is populated by around 2,000, Koteshwaraopalli accounts for a population of 800. The two villages contain about 1,000 families who eke out a living from daily wages. The dwellers are mostly daily earners. A few of them grow paddy and cotton crops.

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