Jeedimetla - Hyderabad's most polluted for years

The residents of Jeedimetla area, which is a part of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area, still remains the most polluted area of Hyderabad. Locals have complained that despite repeated complaints, the administration has done nothing about it.

Hyderabad: The residents of Jeedimetla industrial area gasp for life amidst toxic air and water despite repeated complaints to the concerned authorities nothing seems to be changing. With more than 50,000 people living in this area for more than six years, the suburban area of Hyderabad is the most polluted area of the city.

Groundwater of Jeedimetla, which is a part of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), is available at a depth of three feet but still not potable. It is highly polluted and is reddish in colour.

Quthbullapur in Jeedimetla area is located adjacent to 1200 offices, 1000 pharmaceutical units and other chemical industries, thus polluting the underground water. The industrial and chemical effluents of these factories are dumped into the water bodies making the water unfit for drinking. The locals bank on water board for drinking water.

A report by Pollution Control Board suggests that the ground water of Jeedimetla and its adjoining area have arsenic, nickel, cadmium and other heavy metals more than the permitted level.

Localities like Subhash Nagar, Ram Reddi Nagar, Ayodhya Nagar, Indra Singh Nagar, Sudarshan Reddi Nagar, Kakateeya Nagar, Mahendra Nagar, Chinthal and other nearby areas have complained of skin diseases and breathlessness.

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The situation is no different in Balanagar. Locals said that the ground water has turned red and causes itching, burning of eyes, skin diseases and other breathing problems.

What does the waste management rule say?

According to the rules of the waste management, solid waste material must be diverted to Dundigul dumping yard and the low density effluents must be purified before releasing it into the nalas. If the density of the effluents is more, it must be diverted to purification centers. Thus for each water treatment tanker around twenty thousand rupees have to be spent. But locals alleged that the administration in an attempt to save expenditure, organisers of some industries have taken the vacant land adjacent to the nalas on lease and mixing the effluents with nala water.

Locals plead help

"We have been living in the area for more than six years. Despite having a borewell at home, we get coloured water with pungent smell. We are suffering from skin diseases," says Laxmi from Subashnagar.

Pushpa, who lives in Ayodhyanagar, says that whenever we go to hospitals complaining of skin diseases, we get to hear only one thing 'Now our lives are like that'. She said that we have complained several times but have not received any help from the administration.